A connectionist model for dynamic control

The application of a connectionist modeling method known as competition-based spreading activation to a camera tracking task is described. The potential is explored for automation of control and planning applications using connectionist technology. The emphasis is on applications suitable for use in the NASA Space Station and in related space activities. The results are quite general and could be applicable to control systems in general

Lack of Diversity in Leadership: Could Selective Randomness Break the Deadlock?

The proportion of women and ethnic minorities in senior management remains indefensibly low. Radical ideas are therefore needed. This paper proposes one. It is to use a form of selective randomness -- random selection from among a pool of pre-chosen and qualified candidates -- as a new HRM tool. We argue this in two parts – an equity case and an efficiency case. First, selective randomness would ensure greater equity between the sexes and races over time; offer ‘rejection insurance’ to candidates wary of discrimination, and thereby mitigate the fear of failure; and encourage women and non-whites to enter tournaments. Second, we consider also the criterion of efficiency. The standard of candidates going into management would be raised; homophily would be reduced, thus improving diversity of people and ideas, and reducing the ‘chosen one’ factor. By using Jensen’s inequality from applied mathematics, we provide the first demonstration that random selection could act to improve organizational efficiency by raising the chance of an extraordinary manager being hired

Microporous Titanium through Metal Injection Moulding of Coarse Powder and Surface Modification by Plasma Oxidation

Titanium is one of the most attractive materials for biomedical applications due to having excellent biocompatibility accompanied by good corrosion resistance. One popular processing technique for Ti is Metal Injection Moulding (MIM). However, there are several issues associated with the use of this technique, such as the high cost of the fine powder used, the high level of contamination and consequent alteration to material properties, as well as the large volume shrinkage that occurs during sintering. In this study, the use of a relatively coarse Ti powder with a mean particle size of 75 μm to process Ti parts with the potential for biomedical applications by MIM will be examined, compared to a commercial Ti feedstock, and subsequently coated using Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO). The results show that samples produced with the coarse powder shrink 35% less and have a relative density 14% less with an average pore size three-times larger than that of the commercial feedstock. This helps increase the potential competitiveness of MIM in the production of biomedical parts, as it reduces cost, shrinkage and results in more intentionally-induced micropores, such as are desired for biomedical implants. PEO treatment of the samples yields a thick rough coating comprised of a mixture of rutile and anatase with interconnected microporous channels and openings resembling the mouth of a volcanic crater

Do Women Ask?

Women typically earn less than men. The reasons are not fully understood. Previous studies argue that this may be because (i) women ‘don’t ask’ and (ii) the reason they fail to ask is out of concern for the quality of their relationships at work. This account is difficult to assess with standard labor-economics data sets. Hence we examine direct survey evidence. Using matched employer-employee data from 2013-14, the paper finds that the women-don’t-ask account is incorrect. Once an hours-of-work variable is included in ‘asking’ equations, hypotheses (i) and (ii) can be rejected. Women do ask. However, women do not get

Do Women Ask?

Females typically earn less than males. The reasons are not fully understood. This paper reexamines the idea that women ‘don’t ask’, which potentially assigns part of the responsibility for the gender pay gap on to female behavior. Such an account cannot readily be tested with standard data sets. This paper is the first to be able to use matched employer-employee data in which workers are questioned about their asking behaviour. It concludes that males and females ask equally often for promotions and raises. The paper’s empirical results suggest, however, that while women do now ask they ‘don’t get’