Abstract: This paper develops a critical perspective on using
culture and creativity as tools for urban regeneration. Following a
brief assessment of the evolution of cultural policy in recent decades
and different urban regeneration scheme, the concepts of creativity
and creative cities are discussed. This is followed by an attempt to
clarify the relationship between the concepts of creativity and culture.
A more detailed critique of cultural and creative initiatives in Serbian
cities is then undertaken. These attempts show that the potential for
development of urban regeneration driven by culture and creativity
exist. But, these initiatives failed to produce adequate results because
they did not take root as a comprehensive urban regeneration
strategy, therefore, recommendations for further development are
offered.
Abstract: Knowledge management is a critical component of
competitive success in service organizations. Knowledge
management centers on creating new knowledge and utilizing
existing knowledge. While utilizing existing knowledge relates to
input and control and can lead to a reduction in costs; creating new
knowledge relates to output and growth and can lead to an increase in
revenue. Therefore managers must ensure that they can successfully
optimize the knowledge and talent in their organizations. To do this
they and must try to develop an environment that promotes the
generation, acquisition, transfer and use of valuable knowledge in
creative ways. However knowledge management is complex and
diverse. Research suggests that organizations in general and SMEs in
particular are finding it difficult to implement successful knowledge
management initiatives. Our research attempts to understand whether
organizations are adopting best practice initiatives in their
organizations. This paper presents findings from an exploratory study
of 139 SMEs operating in the tourism sector across Europe. The
goals of the survey is to assess the level of awareness of knowledge
and talent management strategies and methodologies and to
determine whether the responding companies implement best practice
knowledge management initiatives in their organizations Analysis of
the findings from the study are presented and discussed.
Abstract: Developing a university course schedule is
difficult. This is due to the limitations in the resources
available. The process is made even harder with different
faculties or departments having different ways of stating their
schedule requirements. The person in charge of taking the
schedule requirements and turning them into a proper course
schedule is not only burden with the task of allocating the
appropriate classes and time to lecturers and students, they
also need to understand the schedule requirements. Therefore
a scheduling support system named SATA is developed to
assist ICRESS in the course scheduling process. SATA has
been put to use for several semesters and the results have been
encouraging. It won a bronze medal in the 2008 Invention,
Innovation and Design competition (IID-08) and has been
submitted to be patented in October 2008
Abstract: The main idea behind in network aggregation is that,
rather than sending individual data items from sensors to sinks,
multiple data items are aggregated as they are forwarded by the
sensor network. Existing sensor network data aggregation techniques
assume that the nodes are preprogrammed and send data to a central
sink for offline querying and analysis. This approach faces two major
drawbacks. First, the system behavior is preprogrammed and cannot
be modified on the fly. Second, the increased energy wastage due to
the communication overhead will result in decreasing the overall
system lifetime. Thus, energy conservation is of prime consideration
in sensor network protocols in order to maximize the network-s
operational lifetime. In this paper, we give an energy efficient
approach to query processing by implementing new optimization
techniques applied to in-network aggregation. We first discuss earlier
approaches in sensors data management and highlight their
disadvantages. We then present our approach “Energy Efficient
Indexed Aggregation" (EEIA) and evaluate it through several
simulations to prove its efficiency, competence and effectiveness.
Abstract: The rapid improvement of the microprocessor and network has made it possible for the PC cluster to compete with conventional supercomputers. Lots of high throughput type of applications can be satisfied by using the current desktop PCs, especially for those in PC classrooms, and leave the supercomputers for the demands from large scale high performance parallel computations. This paper presents our development on enabling an automated deployment mechanism for cluster computing to utilize the computing power of PCs such as reside in PC classroom. After well deployment, these PCs can be transformed into a pre-configured cluster computing resource immediately without touching the existing education/training environment installed on these PCs. Thus, the training activities will not be affected by this additional activity to harvest idle computing cycles. The time and manpower required to build and manage a computing platform in geographically distributed PC classrooms also can be reduced by this development.
Abstract: The objective of this research work is to discuss the concept of “green growth” in the Republic of Kazakhstan introduced by its government in the “National Sustainable Development Strategy” with the objective of transition to a resource-efficient, “green economy.” We believe that emerging economies like Kazakhstan can pursue a cleaner and more efficient development path by introducing an environmental tax system based on resource consumption rather than only income and labor. The key issues discussed in this article are the eco-efficiency, which refers to closing the gap between economic and ecological efficiencies, and the structural change of the economy toward “green growth.” We also strongly believe that studying the experience of East Asian countries on “green reform” including eco-innovation and “green solutions” in business is essential to the case of Kazakhstan. All of these will raise the status of Kazakhstan to the level of one of the thirty developed countries over the next decades.
Abstract: This article outlines a hybrid method, incorporating
multiple techniques into an evaluation process, in order to select
competitive suppliers in a supply chain. It enables a purchaser to do
single sourcing and multiple sourcing by calculating a combined
supplier score, which accounts for both qualitative and quantitative
factors that have impact on supply chain performance.
Abstract: Nowadays companies in all sectors are looking for the
sources of competitive advantages. Holistic marketing approach
searches for their emergence based on the integration of all
components and elements across the organization. Modern marketing
sees the sources of competitive advantage in implementing the latest
managerial practices, motivation, intelligent project management,
knowledge management, collaborative marketing, CSR and, in the
recent years, also in the business process optimization. With the use
of modern tools including business process management and business
process modelling the company can markedly increase its internal
efficiency which can lead not only to lowering the costs but to
creating the environment for optimal customer care, positive
corporate culture and for origination of innovations as well. In the
article the authors analyze the recent trend in this area and introduce
suggestions to companies to identify and optimize the key processes
that have a significant impact of the company´s competitiveness.
Abstract: In today-s highly globalised and competitive world
access to information plays key role in having an upper hand between
business rivals. Hence, proper protection of such crucial resource is
core to any modern business. Implementing a successful information
security system is basically centered around three pillars; technical
solution involving both software and hardware, information security
controls to translate the policies and procedure in the system and the
people to implement. This paper shows that a lot needs to be done for
countries adapting information technology to process, store and
distribute information to secure adequately such core resource.
Abstract: This paper describes an automated event detection and location system for water distribution pipelines which is based upon low-cost sensor technology and signature analysis by an Artificial
Neural Network (ANN). The development of a low cost failure sensor which measures the opacity or cloudiness of the local water
flow has been designed, developed and validated, and an ANN based system is then described which uses time series data produced by
sensors to construct an empirical model for time series prediction and
classification of events. These two components have been installed,
tested and verified in an experimental site in a UK water distribution
system. Verification of the system has been achieved from a series of
simulated burst trials which have provided real data sets. It is concluded that the system has potential in water distribution network
management.
Abstract: During recent years wind turbine technology has
undergone rapid developments. Growth in size and the optimization
of wind turbines has enabled wind energy to become increasingly
competitive with conventional energy sources. As a result today-s
wind turbines participate actively in the power production of several
countries around the world. These developments raise a number of
challenges to be dealt with now and in the future. The penetration of
wind energy in the grid raises questions about the compatibility of the
wind turbine power production with the grid. In particular, the
contribution to grid stability, power quality and behavior during fault
situations plays therefore as important a role as the reliability. In the
present work, we addressed two fault situations that have shown their
influence on the generator and the behavior of the wind over the
defects which are briefly discussed based on simulation results.
Abstract: Positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) is a
technique in which a single radioactive tracer particle can be
accurately tracked as it moves. A limitation of PET is that in order to
reconstruct a tomographic image it is necessary to acquire a large
volume of data (millions of events), so it is difficult to study rapidly
changing systems. By considering this fact, PEPT is a very fast
process compared with PET.
In PEPT detecting both photons defines a line and the annihilation
is assumed to have occurred somewhere along this line. The location
of the tracer can be determined to within a few mm from coincident
detection of a small number of pairs of back-to-back gamma rays and
using triangulation. This can be achieved many times per second and
the track of a moving particle can be reliably followed. This
technique was invented at the University of Birmingham [1].
The attempt in PEPT is not to form an image of the tracer particle
but simply to determine its location with time. If this tracer is
followed for a long enough period within a closed, circulating system
it explores all possible types of motion.
The application of PEPT to industrial process systems carried out
at the University of Birmingham is categorized in two subjects: the
behaviour of granular materials and viscous fluids. Granular
materials are processed in industry for example in the manufacture of
pharmaceuticals, ceramics, food, polymers and PEPT has been used
in a number of ways to study the behaviour of these systems [2].
PEPT allows the possibility of tracking a single particle within the
bed [3]. Also PEPT has been used for studying systems such as: fluid
flow, viscous fluids in mixers [4], using a neutrally-buoyant tracer
particle [5].
Abstract: In a bi-fuel diesel engine, the carburetor plays a vital
role in switching from fuel gas to petrol mode operation and viceversa.
The carburetor is the most important part of the fuel system of
a diesel engine. All diesel engines carry variable venturi mixer
carburetors. The basic operation of the carburetor mainly depends on
the restriction barrel called the venturi. When air flows through the
venturi, its speed increases and its pressure decreases. The main
challenge focuses on designing a mixing device which mixes the
supplied gas is the incoming air at an optimum ratio. In order to
surmount the identified problems, the way fuel gas and air flow in
the mixer have to be analyzed. In this case, the Computational Fluid
Dynamics or CFD approach is applied in design of the prototype
mixer. The present work is aimed at further understanding of the air
and fuel flow structure by performing CFD studies using a software
code. In this study for mixing air and gas in the condition that has
been mentioned in continuance, some mixers have been designed.
Then using of computational fluid dynamics, the optimum mixer has
been selected. The results indicated that mixer with 12 holes can
produce a homogenous mixture than those of 8-holes and 6-holes
mixer. Also the result showed that if inlet convergency was smoother
than outlet divergency, the mixture get more homogenous, the reason
of that is in increasing turbulence in outlet divergency.
Abstract: An electronic portal image device (EPID) has become
a method of patient-specific IMRT dose verification for radiotherapy.
Research studies have focused on pre and post-treatment verification,
however, there are currently no interventional procedures using EPID
dosimetry that measure the dose in real time as a mechanism to
ensure that overdoses do not occur and underdoses are detected as
soon as is practically possible. As a result, an EPID-based real time
dose verification system for dynamic IMRT was developed and was
implemented with MATLAB/Simulink. The EPID image acquisition
was set to continuous acquisition mode at 1.4 images per second. The
system defined the time constraint gap, or execution gap at the image
acquisition time, so that every calculation must be completed before
the next image capture is completed. In addition, the
Abstract: Mercury adsorption on soil was investigated at
different ionic strengths using Ca(NO3)2 as a background electrolyte.
Results fitted the Langmuir equation and the adsorption isotherms
reached a plateau at higher equilibrium concentrations. Increasing
ionic strength decreased the sorption of mercury, due to the
competition of Ca ions for the sorption sites in the soils. The
influence of ionic strength was related to the mechanisms of heavy
metal sorption by the soil. These results can be of practical
importance both in the agriculture and contaminated soils since the
solubility of mercury in soils are strictly dependent on the adsorption
and release process.
Abstract: There is an ongoing controversy in the literature related
to the biological effects of weak, low frequency electromagnetic
fields. The physical arguments and interpretation of the experimental
evidence are inconsistent, where some physical arguments and
experimental demonstrations tend to reject the likelihood of any
effect of the fields at extremely low level. The problem arises of
explaining, how the low-energy influences of weak magnetic fields
can compete with the thermal and electrical noise of cells at normal
temperature using the theoretical studies. The magnetoreception in
animals involve radical pair mechanism. The same mechanism has
been shown to be involved in the circadian rhythm synchronization in
mammals. These reactions can be influenced by the weak magnetic
fields. Hence, it is postulated the biological clock can be affected
by weak magnetic fields and these disruptions to the rhythm can
cause adverse biological effects. In this paper, likelihood of altering
the biological clock via the radical pair mechanism is analyzed to
simplify these studies of controversy.
Abstract: In contemporary global and dynamically developing environment there is a need of the strategic planning fundamental. It is complicated, but at the same time important process from the point of view of continual keeping of competitive advantage. The aim of the paper is formulation of strategic goals for the needs of the small enterprises. There will be used Balanced Scorecard as a balanced system of the indicators for the clearing and transferring vision into particular goals. In particular perspectives the theme will be focused on strategic goals. Consequently will be mention the concept of the competitiveness IDINMOSU. This connect to Balanced Scorecard.
Abstract: Nowadays, many manufacturing companies try to
reinforce their competitiveness or find a breakthrough by considering
collaboration. In Korea, more than 900 manufacturing companies are
using web-based collaboration systems developed by the
government-led project, referred to as i-Manufacturing. The system
supports some similar functions of Product Data Management (PDM)
as well as Project Management System (PMS). A web-based
collaboration system provides many useful functions for collaborative
works. This system, however, does not support new linking services
between buyers and suppliers. Therefore, in order to find new
collaborative partners, this paper proposes a framework which creates
new connections between buyers and suppliers facilitating their
collaboration, referred to as Excellent Manufacturer Scouting System
(EMSS). EMSS plays a role as a bridge between overseas buyers and
suppliers. As a part of study on EMSS, we also propose an evaluation
method of manufacturability of potential partners with six main factors.
Based on the results of evaluation, buyers may get a good guideline to
choose their new partners before getting into negotiation processes
with them.
Abstract: Firms have invested heavily in knowledge
management (KM) with the aim to build a knowledge capability and
use it to achieve a competitive advantage. Research has shown,
however, that not all knowledge management projects succeed. Some
studies report that about 84% of knowledge management projects
fail. This paper has integrated studies on the impediments to
knowledge management into a theoretical framework. Based on this
framework, five cases documenting failed KM initiatives were
analysed. The analysis gave us a clear picture about why certain KM
projects fail. The high failure rate of KM can be explained by the
gaps that exist between users and management in terms of KM
perceptions and objectives
Abstract: Polyurethane foam (PUF) is formed by a chemical
reaction of polyol and isocyanate. The aim is to understand the
impact of Silicone on synthesizing polyurethane in differentiate
volume of molding. The method used was one step process, which is
simultaneously caried out a blending polyol (petroleum polyol and
soybean polyol), a TDI (2,4):MDI (4,4-) (80:20), a distilled water,
and a silicone. The properties of the material were measured via a
number of parameters, which are polymer density, compressive
strength, and cellular structures. It is found that density of
polyurethane using silicone with volume of molding either 250 ml or
500 ml is lower than without using silicone.