Which environmental factors most strongly influence a street's appeal for bicycle transport among adults? : a conjoint study using manipulated photographs

BACKGROUND: Micro-environmental factors (specific features within a streetscape), instead of macro-environmental factors (urban planning features), are more feasible to modify in existing neighborhoods and thus more practical to target for environmental interventions. Because it is often not possible to change the whole micro-environment at once, the current study aims to determine which micro-environmental factors should get the priority to target in physical environmental interventions increasing bicycle transport. Additionally, interaction effects among micro-environmental factors on the street's appeal for bicycle transport will be determined. METHODS: In total, 1950 middle-aged adults completed a web-based questionnaire consisting of a set of 12 randomly assigned choice tasks with manipulated photographs. Seven micro-environmental factors (type of cycle path, speed limit, speed bump, vegetation, evenness of the cycle path surface, general upkeep and traffic density) were manipulated in each photograph. Conjoint analysis was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Providing streets with a cycle path separated from motorized traffic seems to be the best strategy to increase the street's appeal for adults' bicycle transport. If this adjustment is not practically feasible, micro-environmental factors related to safety (i.e. speed limit, traffic density) may be more effective in promoting bicycle transport than micro-environmental factors related to comfort (i.e. evenness of the cycle path surface) or aesthetic (i.e. vegetation, general upkeep). On the other hand, when a more separated cycle path is already provided, micro-environmental factors related to comfort or aesthetic appeared to become more prominent. CONCLUSIONS: Findings obtained from this research could provide advice to physical environmental interventions about which environmental factors should get priority to modify in different environmental situations

An efficient path planner for large mobile platforms in cluttered environments

This paper presents a one step smooth and efficient path planning algorithm for navigating a large robotic platform in known cluttered environments. The proposed strategy, based on the generation of a novel search space, relies on non-uniform density sampling of the free areas to direct the computational resources to troubled and difficult regions, such as narrow passages, leaving the larger open spaces sparsely populated. A smoothing penalty is also associated to the nodes to encourage the generation of gentle paths along the middle of the empty spaces. Collision detection is carried out off-line during the creation of the configuration space to speed up the actual search for the path, which is done on-line. Results prove that the proposed approach considerably reduces the search space in a meaningful and practical manner, improving the computational cost of generating a path optimised for fine and smooth motion. © 2006 IEEE

Escaping India’s culture of education: migration desires among aspiring middle-class young men

Research on Indian overseas students in Australia has shown that there is an intricate connection between class and migration processes. Yet most of this work has focused on the experiences of students already abroad. Research on the formulation of migration-decisions and class dynamics from the sending side has been slow to emerge. This paper fills this gap and locates the analysis of migration desires within the literature on the Indian middle classes. I demonstrate how a middle-class culture of education that articulates hegemonic experiences, aspirations, and trajectories drives many aspiring middle-class young men to consider migrating as an alternative path to social mobility. Migration emerges as a temporary strategy geared towards accruing economic and cultural capital necessary for the fulfilment of class-based personal ambitions and wider social responsibilities at home. Migration is shown to stretch the boundaries of processes of class formation that now straddles multiple sites, resources, and aspirations

DYNAMICS OF STRATEGIC IMPLEMENTATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA (PAKISTAN) WITH FOCUS ON THE ROLE OF MIDDLE MANAGEMENT

This study looks into various aspects of strategy execution in the context of higher education institutions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan). Most studies on this subject have been conducted in developed countries leaving much room for understanding in a context characterized by a weak regulatory framework, unique socio-cultural traditions, and a complex political environment in a country like Pakistan. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents selected through stratified random sampling technique in both academic and administrative sections of universities. The Structure Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed for exploratory and confirmatory factory analyses while Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM 3.0) was used for the measurement of path models of the study. The results show that the role of middle management was significant in terms of championing alternative strategic options, synthesizing information, and executing deliberate strategy whereas it was insignificant in facilitating adaptability. The results of this study have theoretical significance in that it looks at strategy implementation from the perspective of a developing country. Practically, the results suggest giving more power to middle management in all aspects of strategic management. The results, however, have to be understood with some of the study’s limitations that have been discussed later at length

Flexibility Matters: A Qualitative Look at Four Middle Grade Teachers’ Implementation of Personalized Learning

Personalized learning (PL) has emerged as a trend in K-12 teaching and learning (Netcoh, 2017). This instructional strategy provides a customized learning experience, allowing students to work on their own path and at their own pace while learning and instruction is developed to students’ ability levels, interests, and learning modalities. While some scholars and many educational organizations have published definitions of PL, these definitions are often vague and sometimes conflicting. Furthermore, there is limited in-depth research presently available regarding the implementation of personalized learning in K-12 classrooms. Due to the lack of clear definitions and descriptions of PL, educators struggle to conceptualize and implement PL. To bridge this gap, this case study will examine how four exemplary middle school teachers implement PL in a Title 1 middle school in a large urban K-12 school district in the Southeast. The study will also describe these teachers’ perceptions of PL. Keywords: personalized learning, technology, 1:1 computing, professional development, transformation, middle schoo

Applying Visual Frameworks to Optimize Innovation Strategy

All companies have goals or targets as well as projections for various metrics. External and internal environmental factors, more often than not, push a company off course. This tendency, when a company strays from the optimal projected path, is called the Path/Goal problem. In the course of this paper, a framework will be constructed for managers to visualize their current position and path, with regard to their goals, competitors and environment. The framework will also provide insight for making decisions and crafting strategy. Furthermore, this paper will discuss and quantify when a course change (pivot) should be considered by evaluating the nature of the distribution of possible outcomes at any given point in time. The framework will then be used to contrast incumbent firms versus new entrants to a market as well as continuous versus discontinuous technological innovation strategies. More importantly, the framework will demonstrate how these situations relate to a company’s path toward their end goal. The final discussion will focus on strategies as well as their implications and risks with the goal of helping managers not only understand their situational environment, but also the implications of their decisions. Keywords- Agility; Bang the Corner; Continuous Innovation;Corporate Inertia; Course Change Coefficient; Course Correction;Discontinuous Innovation; Disruptive Innovation; EnvironmentalConditions; Environmental Volatility; Environmental Factors;Evaluation Cycle Time; Framework; Goal; Goal Boundary Plot;Incremental Innovation; Incumbent Firm; Innovation; InnovationStrategy; Middle of the Road; New Entrants; Optimization;Outcome Boundaries; Outcome Distribution; Strategy;Technological Innovation; True North Plot; Visual Framework;Zeta

From flying Geese to leading Dragons : new opportunities and strategies for structural transformation in developing countries

Economic development is a process of continuous industrial and technological upgrading in which any country, regardless of its level of development, can succeed if it develops industries that are consistent with its comparative advantage, determined by its endowment structure. The secret winning formula for developing countries is to exploit the latecomer advantage by building up industries that are growing dynamically in more advanced fast growing countries that have endowment structures similar to theirs. By following carefully selected lead countries, latecomers can emulate the leader-follower, flying-geese pattern that has served well successfully catching-up economies since the 18th century. The emergence of large middle-income countries such as China, India, and Brazil as new growth poles in the world, and their dynamic growth and climbing of the industrial ladder, offer an unprecedented opportunity to all developing economies with income levels currently below theirs --including those in Sub-Saharan Africa. Having itself been a"follower goose,"China is on the verge of graduating from low-skilled manufacturing jobs and becoming a"leading dragon."That will free up nearly 100 million labor-intensive manufacturing jobs, enough to more than quadruple manufacturing employment in low-income countries. A similar trend is emerging in other middle-income growth poles. The lower-income countries that can formulate and implement a viable strategy to capture this new industrialization opportunity will set forth on a dynamic path of structural change that can lead to poverty reduction and prosperity.Economic Theory&Research,Emerging Markets,Achieving Shared Growth,Labor Policies,Inequality

Implementasi Fungsi Strategi String Of Pearls China di Samudera Hindia Tahun 2005-2013

China is one of the countries with rapid economic growth, economic growth continues to increase significantly in 2009 Since this country became a net importer of energy in the form of significant oil, nearly 60% of the domestic industry is an industry-energy-intensive manufacturing. China does not have sufficient natural resources to support the development and economic growth. To secure its energy supply needs in imports from the Middle East region, China using String Of Pearls strategy. This study investigates the ways in String Of Pearls strategy is implemented by China.This research is descriptive research that is based on the systematic patterns of thought, factual, and accurate, information on the facts and the properties of a particular population or area. While the data collection techniques used are library research.The research found that String Of Pearls strategy run by China in the Indian Ocean are implemented with the cooperation in the field of infrastructure development such as ports, airports, and subsea pipeline with countries in the path of Chinas energy transportation.Keywords : China, Implementation, Strategies, String Of Pearl

Marc Bloch’s Rois Thaumaturges and Consensus Building in the Middle Ages: at the Roots of the Legitimacy of Power

In his work written in 1924 Les rois thaumaturges, Marc Bloch highlighted an important issue that contributes to our understanding of power and royalty in the Middle Ages. Scholars have been deepening research in the field since then, looking for the reasons behind the “royal touch” and for an eventual quest for legitimacy for those kings who strive to see their authority recognized. Should we reduce the touch to a mere strategy to gain consensus? Or should we look for deeper reasons by “questioning” the kings and their hypothetical belief in touch, along with the trust in their healing powers? It must be acknowledged that subjects were loyal to the body of the king first, and the body was the very center of the political realm throughout the Middle Ages. In this paper we are going to try to look for a different path analyzing Bloch’s findings and proposing research questions that should be taken into consideration in both studies on royalty in the Middle Ages, and on the origins of the legitimization of power

RMPD - A Recursive Mid-Point Displacement Algorithm for Path Planning

Motivated by what is required for real-time path planning, the paper starts out by presenting sRMPD, a new recursive "local" planner founded on the key notion that, unless made necessary by an obstacle, there must be no deviation from the shortest path between any two points, which would normally be a straight line path in the configuration space. Subsequently, we increase the power of sRMPD by using it as a "connect" subroutine call in a higher-level sampling-based algorithm mRMPD that is inspired by multi-RRT. As a consequence, mRMPD spawns a larger number of space exploring trees in regions of the configuration space that are characterized by a higher density of obstacles. The overall effect is a hybrid tree growing strategy with a trade-off between random exploration as made possible by multi-RRT based logic and immediate exploitation of opportunities to connect two states as made possible by sRMPD. The mRMPD planner can be biased with regard to this trade-off for solving different kinds of planning problems efficiently. Based on the test cases we have run, our experiments show that mRMPD can reduce planning time by up to 80% compared to basic RRT