Dissertations / Theses: 'Multi-Level framework'

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Turner, Heather R. "A framework for designing multi-level emergence." Thesis, University of York, 2007. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.444767.

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Sadeghi, Payam. "A Mashup Based Framework for Multi Level Healthcare Interoperability." Thesis, University of Ottawa (Canada), 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/28901.

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During the past few years, various healthcare models and e-Health 2.0 technologies have been developed in order to effectively deliver the right information to the right process to provide effective and efficient healthcare services. On the other hand, healthcare delivery is evolving from disease-centered to patient-centered where patients are active participants in their healthcare delivery. Thus communications and collaboration among different healthcare actors is taking place on a much larger scale. There is also an increasing demand for personalized health systems facilitating the effective management of information, simplifying communication and collaboration, and supporting applications and services for meeting different users' specific requirements and ongoing needs. In order to properly address the aforementioned challenges, a framework is needed to advance information integration and interoperability of health applications and services in a controlled manner. In this thesis, we present a framework which allows patients and other healthcare actors to collaboratively develop personalized online health applications according to their specific and ongoing needs and requirements. For this purpose, we illustrate how Web 2.0 collaborative technologies, such as mashups, can represent an adequate foundation for implementing such framework. The value and capabilities of mashups in healthcare have already been studied and demonstrated, and this technology is able to provide an interoperable framework for communication and integration between healthcare processes and applications. We believe that integration and interoperability of health applications/services can be defined at the following levels: Process Level, System Level, and Data Level. The interoperability and integration of services at the system and data levels have already been intensively researched. However, not enough consideration has been given to interoperability issues at the process level. Healthcare must have interoperable systems and interoperable people who will use the systems. Therefore, a shift from a technology-driven implementation to a process-driven conceptual model is needed. Our aim in this thesis is to further research how Web 2.0 technologies and tools, such a mashups, can facilitate the exchange of processes between various healthcare entities and actors, and the role of mashup patterns for enhancing the interoperability and integration of healthcare services and applications.

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COSTANZO, STEFANO. "An Evolutionary Multi-Objective Optimization Framework for Bi-level Problems." Doctoral thesis, Università degli Studi di Trieste, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/11368/2908206.

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Genetic algorithms (GA) are stochastic optimization methods inspired by the evolutionist theory on the origin of species and natural selection. They are able to achieve good exploration of the solution space and accurate convergence toward the global optimal solution. GAs are highly modular and easily adaptable to specific real-world problems which makes them one of the most efficient available numerical optimization methods. This work presents an optimization framework based on the Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm for Structured Inputs (MOGASI) which combines modules and operators with specialized routines aimed at achieving enhanced performance on specific types of problems. MOGASI has dedicated methods for handling various types of data structures present in an optimization problem as well as a pre-processing phase aimed at restricting the problem domain and reducing problem complexity. It has been extensively tested against a set of benchmarks well-known in literature and compared to a selection of state-of-the-art GAs. Furthermore, the algorithm framework was extended and adapted to be applied to Bi-level Programming Problems (BPP). These are hierarchical optimization problems where the optimal solution of the bottom-level constitutes part of the top-level constraints. One of the most promising methods for handling BPPs with metaheuristics is the so-called "nested" approach. A framework extension is performed to support this kind of approach. This strategy and its effectiveness are shown on two real-world BPPs, both falling in the category of pricing problems. The first application is the Network Pricing Problem (NPP) that concerns the setting of road network tolls by an authority that tries to maximize its profit whereas users traveling on the network try to minimize their costs. A set of instances is generated to compare the optimization results of an exact solver with the MOGASI bi-level nested approach and identify the problem sizes where the latter performs best. The second application is the Peak-load Pricing (PLP) Problem. The PLP problem is aimed at investigating the possibilities for mitigating European air traffic congestion. The PLP problem is reformulated as a multi-objective BPP and solved with the MOGASI nested approach. The target is to modulate charges imposed on airspace users so as to redistribute air traffic at the European level. A large scale instance based on real air traffic data on the entire European airspace is solved. Results show that significant improvements in traffic distribution in terms of both schedule displacement and air space sector load can be achieved through this simple, en-route charge modulation scheme.

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De, Meter Edward Christopher. "GIBSS: a framework for the multi-level simulation of manufacturing systems." Diss., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1989. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/54513.

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A systems approach for manufacturing system design calls for the division of a system design into sub-designs, and their specification over multiple levels of detail. Through an iterative design and evaluation process, a system design progresses from an abstraction to an implemental specification. To facilitate the evaluation process, models of sub-designs must be applicable to modular assembly, even if the sub-designs are heterogeneously specified. Computer simulation modeling is currently the most flexible method of manufacturing system analysis. When used in the multi-level design process, two forms of simulation models are encountered, uni-level and multi-level. A simulation model of a manufacturing system is considered uni-level if objects of equivalent type within the system are modeled at the same level of detail. On the other hand, a model is considered multi-level if objects of equivalent type are not modeled at the same level of detail. Unfortunately, current simulation frameworks do not integrate modular construction with the various discrete event and continuous simulation techniques needed to support multi-level modeling. This dissertation describes GIBSS (Generalized Interaction Based Simulation Specification), a simulation framework which supports the modular construction of uni-level and multi-level simulation models. Under GIBSS, the mechanisms and attributes of a manufacturing system simulation are distributed among various classes of independent sub-models. These classes are passive, internal interaction, external interaction, and master simulation. GIBSS describes the mechanics of each of these classes, as well as their method of synchronization. Using GIBSS, sub-models are created, executed, and validated independently, and then brought together to execute in parallel or near parallel fashion. As a result, uni-level and multi-level system simulation models are assembled from multiple sub-models. GIBSS eliminates a barrier to the rapid evaluation of manufacturing system designs. It facilitates the multi-level design process, and is the basis of a research effort, dedicated to the development of a new generation of computer-aided manufacturing system design environments. Ph. D.

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Williams, Robert Charles. "The Framework of a Multi-Level Database of Highway Construction Performance Times." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/32148.

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Accurate and reasonable contract time is important to all aspects of a highway construction project. Unreasonably short contract times can raise the bid price, restrict qualified bidders from submitting bids, reduce the quality of the work, and increase the potential for legal disputes. Conversely, unreasonably long contract times encourage less qualified contractors to submit a bid and are a general inconvenience to the traveling public. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recognizes this, and has recommended that all state highway agencies develop a standardized method for estimating contract performance time. To date, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) does not have an established method. One major portion of this work is the development of the framework for a multi-level time estimating system to aid in the establishment of contract performance times. This system parallels the VDOT cost estimating process, refining estimates as design details become available along the Project Development Concurrent Engineering Process (PDCEP). Three distinct stages exist along the PDCEP that will facilitate the use of a tool for estimating contract time. Sufficient information to begin the conceptual estimate is known as the project enters the six year plan. The parametric estimate may commence as the project enters the scoping phase. Finally, details for the pre-advertisement time estimate are available upon project field inspection. The second major component of this work, the pre-advertisement estimating database system (BIDDS â Bid Item Duration Data System) was constructed during this work. BIDDS uses project information and characteristics to filter through historical performance time data, returning production data from similar projects. Production data is returned at the bid item level to assist in the estimation of production rates, for calculating activity durations. Master of Science

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Kennel, Bastian [Verfasser], and Colin [Akademischer Betreuer] Atkinson. "A Unified Framework for Multi-Level Modeling / Bastian Kennel. Betreuer: Colin Atkinson." Mannheim : Universitätsbibliothek Mannheim, 2012. http://d-nb.info/1034315374/34.

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Jain, Anant Singh. "A multi-level hybrid framework for the deterministic job-shop scheduling problem." Thesis, University of Dundee, 1998. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.321923.

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Balhareth, Hamad Hussain. "A framework for aligning business and IT from multi-level learning perspective." Thesis, University of Reading, 2013. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.603494.

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Business and IT strategic alignment is increasingly acknowledged as a key factor in organisational performance. To measure performance, strategic alignment has two central approaches, which are process and content. Research in this regard has usually been concerned with either strategy process or strategy content, but this has only produced an unclear understanding of the impact of business and IT alignment on performance, Several studies investigating organisational performance have been carried out from the perspective of strategic alignment content. A major drawback of all of the strategy alignment studies is that they overlook process perspective. Relatively few attempts have been made at investigating the strategic alignment process. Logically, these studies might have been more useful if the authors had included both strategic perspectives as mechanisms needed to enable a better understanding of business and IT alignment and its impact on performance. Therefore, the aim of my research is to integrate the content and process of strategic alignment from a multi-level learning perspective to better understand the impact on business performance. The rationale behind combining strategy content and strategy process is the quest to understand the intertwined concepts connected to performance; strategic content is influenced by process, while process strategies are, in turn, sensitive to content. Therefore, this research presents organisational learning (OL) as a mechanism to integrate the process and content of strategic alignment from a multi-level learning perspective. The main goal of multi-level theorising in organisational learning is to identify elements that assist in achieving a unified understanding of phenomena that occur across all levels in organisations. The framework of Business and IT Alignment from Multi-level Learning Perspective (BITA-MLP) defines strategic alignment at various levels, viewing it as a strategy process that interacts with the exploration and exploitation perspectives of strategy content. Strategic alignment from a multi-level learning perspective includes knowledge creation, knowledge interpretation, knowledge sharing and knowledge utilisation as a process. Strategy content refers to exploration that engages the knowledge of individuals, groups and the organisation to trigger changes in non-human elements such as strategy, structure, culture and infrastructure. In addition, exploitation reflects the effect of the knowledge embedded in non-human elements on individuals, groups and the organisation. We collected and used evidence from a number of organisations to design and test the instruments or our framework. Several companies engaged in different economic activities were used as case studies to lessen industry-based bias and to ensure individuals interviewed held as diverse perceptions as possible and that a wide a range of strategy levels and content types was included. Evidence collected in this regard came from different sources including surveys, interviews and documentation. The triangulation of sources has allowed us to identify deficient capabilities that each company needs to work on if they are to satisfactorily align their business and IT strategies and be rewarded by achieving better business performance.

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Omezzine, Aya. "Automated and dynamic multi-level negotiation framework applied to an efficient cloud provisioning." Thesis, Toulouse 1, 2017. http://www.theses.fr/2017TOU10060/document.

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L’approvisionnement du Cloud est le processus de déploiement et de gestion des applications sur les infrastructures publiques du Cloud. Il est de plus en plus utilisé car il permet aux fournisseurs de services métiers de se concentrer sur leurs activités sans avoir à gérer et à investir dans l’infrastructure. Il comprend deux niveaux d’interaction : (1) entre les utilisateurs finaux et les fournisseurs de services pour l’approvisionnement des applications, et (2) entre les fournisseurs de services et les fournisseurs de ressources pour l’approvisionnement des ressources virtuelles. L’environnement Cloud est devenu un marché complexe où tout fournisseur veut maximiser son profit monétaire et où les utilisateurs finaux recherchent les services les plus efficaces tout en minimisant leurs coûts. Avec la croissance de la concurrence dans le Cloud, les fournisseurs de services métiers doivent assurer un approvisionnement efficace qui maximise la satisfaction de la clientèle et optimise leurs profits.Ainsi, les fournisseurs et les utilisateurs doivent être satisfaits en dépit de leurs besoins contradictoires. La négociation est une solution prometteuse qui permet de résoudre les conflits en comblant le gap entre les capacités des fournisseurs et les besoins des utilisateurs. Intuitivement, la négociation automatique des contrats (SLA) permet d’aboutir à un compromis qui satisfait les deux parties. Cependant, pour être efficace, la négociation automatique doit considérer les propriétés de l’approvisionnement du Cloud et les complexités liées à la dynamicité (dynamicité de la disponibilité des ressources, dynamicité des prix). En fait ces critères ont un impact important sur le succès de la négociation. Les principales contributions de cette thèse répondant au défi de la négociation multi-niveau dans un contexte dynamique sont les suivantes: (1) Nous proposons un modèle de négociateur générique qui considère la nature dynamique de l’approvisionnement du Cloud et son impact potentiel sur les résultats décisionnels. Ensuite, nous construisons un cadre de négociation multicouche fondé sur ce modèle en l’instanciant entre les couches du Cloud. Le cadre comprend des agents négociateurs en communication avec les modules en relation avec la qualité et le prix du service à fournir (le planificateur, le moniteur, le prospecteur de marché). (2) Nous proposons une approche de négociation bilatérale entre les utilisateurs finaux et les fournisseurs de service basée sur une approche d’approvisionnement existante. Les stratégies de négociation sont basées sur la communication avec les modules d’approvisionnement (le planificateur et l’approvisionneur de machines virtuelles) afin d’optimiser les bénéfices du fournisseur de service et de maximiser la satisfaction du client. (3) Afin de maximiser le nombre de clients, nous proposons une approche de négociation adaptative et simultanée comme extension de la négociation bilatérale. Nous proposons d’exploiter les changements de charge de travail en termes de disponibilité et de tarification des ressources afin de renégocier simultanément avec plusieurs utilisateurs non acceptés (c’est-à-dire rejetés lors de la première session de négociation) avant la création du contrat SLA. (4) Afin de gérer toute violation possible de SLA, nous proposons une approche proactive de renégociation après l’établissement de SLA. La renégociation est lancée lors de la détection d’un événement inattendu (par exemple, une panne de ressources) pendant le processus d’approvisionnement. Les stratégies de renégociation proposées visent à minimiser la perte de profit pour le fournisseur et à assurer la continuité du service pour le consommateur. Les approches proposées sont mises en œuvre et les expériences prouvent les avantages d’ajouter la (re)négociation au processus d’approvisionnement. L’utilisation de la (re)négociation améliore le bénéfice du fournisseur, le nombre de demandes acceptées et la satisfaction du client Cloud provisioning is the process of deployment and management of applications on public cloud infrastructures. Cloud provisioning is used increasingly because it enables business providers to focus on their business without having to manage and invest in infrastructure. Cloud provisioning includes two levels of interaction: (1) between end-users and business providers for application provisioning; and (2) between business providers and resource providers for virtual resource provisioning.The cloud market nowadays is a complex environment where business providers need to maximize their monetary profit, and where end-users look for the most efficient services with the lowest prices. With the growth of competition in the cloud, business providers must ensure efficient provisioning that maximizes customer satisfaction and optimizes the providers’ profit. So, both providers and users must be satisfied in spite of their conflicting needs. Negotiation is an appealing solution to solve conflicts and bridge the gap between providers’ capabilities and users’ requirements. Intuitively, automated Service Level Agreement (SLA) negotiation helps in reaching an agreement that satisfies both parties. However, to be efficient, automated negotiation should consider the properties of cloud provisioning mainly the two interaction levels, and complexities related to dynamicity (e.g., dynamically-changing resource availability, dynamic pricing, dynamic market factors related to offers and demands), which greatly impact the success of the negotiation. The main contributions of this thesis tackling the challenge of multi-level negotiation in a dynamic context are as follows: (1) We propose a generic negotiator model that considers the dynamic nature of cloud provisioning and its potential impact on the decision-making outcome. Then, we build a multi-layer negotiation framework built upon that model by instantiating it among Cloud layers. The framework includes negotiator agents. These agents are in communication with the provisioning modules that have an impact on the quality and the price of the service to be provisioned (e.g, the scheduler, the monitor, the market prospector). (2) We propose a bilateral negotiation approach between end-users and business providers extending an existing provisioning approach. The proposed decision-making strategies for negotiation are based on communication with the provisioning modules (the scheduler and the VM provisioner) in order to optimize the business provider’s profit and maximize customer satisfaction. (3) In order to maximize the number of clients, we propose an adaptive and concurrent negotiation approach as an extension of the bilateral negotiation. We propose to harness the workload changes in terms of resource availability and pricing in order to renegotiate simultaneously with multiple non-accepted users (i.e., rejected during the first negotiation session) before the establishment of the SLA. (4) In order to handle any potential SLA violation, we propose a proactive renegotiation approach after SLA establishment. The renegotiation is launched upon detecting an unexpected event (e.g., resource failure) during the provisioning process. The proposed renegotiation decision-making strategies aim to minimize the loss in profit for the provider and to ensure the continuity of the service for the consumer. The proposed approaches are implemented and experiments prove the benefits of adding (re)negotiation to the provisioning process. The use of (re)negotiation improves the provider’s profit, the number of accepted requests, and the client’s satisfaction

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Fosci, Mattia. "Developing a multi-level governance framework for sustainable forest landscapes : the prospects for REDD-plus." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2014. http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/14570/.

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This dissertation is a grounded theoretical analysis of the REDD-plus programme, the multi-level system of forest governance that is being developed since 2007 under the international legal regime on climate change. It examines REDD-plus’ main elements, seeks to preliminarily assess its likely impact and suggests measures to improve its design. The focus is on effectiveness, intended as the ability to address the causes of forest loss in developing countries. The research is divided in two parts. The first part concentrates on REDD-plus at the international level. It explores the programme’s innovative but still fragmented and contradictory use of ‘policy approaches’ and ‘positive incentives’, and assesses its strengths and weaknesses in the context of the broader trend towards the ‘neo-liberalisation’ of international environmental policy. The second part examines REDD-plus at the national and sub-national levels. It uses sustainable landscape governance as the overarching conceptual and physical framework for the effective implementation of REDD-plus activities and suggests three areas of public policy that should be prioritised by participant countries: tenure, spatial planning and financial intermediation. The dissertation examines each policy area in detail and provides specific recommendations on the measures available to overcome current problems. It argues that the programme’s effectiveness would be magnified by combining public policy and market instruments in such a way as to facilitate the negotiation of trade-offs between multiple environmental and development objectives and between diverse stakeholders. Building on this analysis, the conclusions advance some considerations on the possible significance of REDD-plus for the development of international environmental law.

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Navarro, Rosa Jennifer. "Framework for sustainability assessment of industrial processes with multi-scale technology at design level: microcapsules production process." Doctoral thesis, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/8572.

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In a world with limited resources and serious environmental, social and economical impacts, a more sustainable life style is everyday more important. Therefore, the general objective of this work is to develop a methodological procedure for eco-efficiency and sustainability assessment of industrial processes with multi-scale technology at design level. The methodology developed follows the ISO 14040 series for environmental LCA standard. To integrate the three pillars of sustainability the analytical hierarchical process was used. The results are represented in a triple bottom line framework. The methodology was applied to the case study "production of perfume-containing microcapsules" and different scenarios were assessed and compared. Several sustainability indicators were chosen to analyze the impacts. The results showed that this methodology can be used as a decision making tool for sustainability reporting. It can be applied to any process choosing in each case the corresponding set of inventory data and sustainability impact indicators. En un mundo con recursos limitados y graves impactos ambientales, sociales y económicos, un estilo de vida más sostenible es cada día más importante. Debido a esto, el objetivo general de este trabajo es desarrollar un procedimiento metodológico para evaluar eco-eficiencia y sostenibilidad de procesos industriales con tecnología multi-escala a nivel de diseño. La metodología desarrollada sigue la serie ISO 14040 para el medio ambiente. Se utilizó el proceso analítico jerárquico para integrar los tres pilares de sostenibilidad. Los resultados se presentan en un balance triple. La metodología se aplicó al caso de estudio "producción de micro-cápsulas que contienen perfume" y se analizaron y compararon diferentes escenarios. Se seleccionaron diversos indicadores de sostenibilidad para analizar los impactos. Los resultados demostraron que esta metodología puede ser utilizada como herramienta de toma de decisiones y que puede aplicarse a cualquier proceso seleccionando, en cada caso, los datos del inventario y los indicadores.

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van, Lint J. W. C., and S. C. Calvert. "A generic multi-level framework for microscopic traffic simulation—Theory and an example case in modelling driver distraction." Elsevier, 2018. https://publish.fid-move.qucosa.de/id/qucosa%3A72789.

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Incorporation of more sophisticated human factors (HF) in mathematical models for driving behavior has become an increasingly popular and important research direction in the last few years. Such models enable us to simulate under which conditions perception errors and risk-taking lead to interactions that result in unsafe traffic conditions and ultimately accidents. In this paper, we present a generic multi-level microscopic traffic modelling and simulation framework that supports this important line of research. In this framework, the driving task is modeled in a multi-layered fashion. At the highest level, we have idealized (collision-free) models for car following and other driving tasks. These models typically contain HF parameters that exogenously “govern the human factor”, such as reaction time, sensitivities to stimuli, desired speed, etc. At the lowest level, we define HF variables (task demand and capacity, awareness) with which we maintain what the information processing costs are of performing driving tasks as well as non-driving related tasks such as distractions. We model these costs using so-called fundamental diagrams of task demand. In between, we define functions that govern the dynamics of the high-level HF parameters with these HF variables as inputs. When total task demand increases beyond task capacity, first awareness may deteriorate, where we use Endsley's three-level awareness construct to differentiate between effects on perception, comprehension, anticipation and reaction time. Secondly, drivers may adapt their response in line with Fullers risk allostasis theory to reduce risk to acceptable levels. This framework can be viewed as a meta model, that provides the analyst possibilities to combine and mix a wide variety of microscopic models for driving behavior at different levels of sophistication, depending on which HF are studied, and which phenomena need to be reproduced. We illustrate the framework with a distraction (rubbernecking) case. Our results show that the framework results in endogenous mechanisms for inter- and intra-driver differences in driving behavior and can generate multiple plausible HF mechanisms to explain the same observable traffic phenomena and congestion patterns that arise due to the distraction. We believe our framework can serve as a valuable tool in testing hypotheses related to the effects of HF on traffic efficiency and traffic safety in a systematic way for both the traffic flow and HF community.

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Okeleke-Nezianya, Vincent Ifechukwu. "A multi-level, mixed-methods study of family management framework : a migrant Nigerian professional dual-earner families perspective." Thesis, Middlesex University, 2005. http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/7966/.

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The last quarter of the twentieth century witnessed what is undoubtedly one of the most important socio-demographic changes in the labour market both developed and developing countries. For the first time, women and married women entered the labour market on a massive scale. One of the consequenceso f this socio-demographics hift is the dynamic in family management framework. Particularly for professional married women with dependent children, who continues to bear the main responsibility for taking care of the family, also for professional married men, who are expected increasingly to be involved in domestic and childcare tasks. This dynamic in family management framework is even more acute for migrant Nigerian professional dual-earner families because of absence of support from their extended families. Given the fact that migrant Nigerian professional dual-earner families with dependent children as a collective, and qualitatively, as method have been largely neglected in the literature, I decided to embark on a multi-level, mixed-method study of family management framework from a migrant dual-eamer professional families perspective. The study is mixed-method, because I use both qualitative and quantitative methods to study the theme. It is multi-level study, because, a) I address at the micro level the attitude and behaviour of the couples to family management, b) at the mesolevel/macro-level, how the migrants perceive their experiences from the British government employers, and c) the mainstream and how they have adapted in their new environment. In the first study, I review and confront two practically divorced literatures: the literature on management of domestic and childcare tasks and other strands of family tasks. I point to the gap in the literature and the need to recognise this in order to understand fully the family management frameworks within contemporary families. In the second study, I explore how the families perceive their treatment by the government, employers, and the mainstream population and their level of enculturation in Britain. The study use hermeneutics phenomenology method (i.e. indepth interview and group discussion). The study suggests that the field may be overlooking some fundamental variables. Interpretative analysis of the interview transcripts reveals the importance of understanding immigrant's perception of their new environment, immanent or tacit actions such as how they interpret their status, relate to the mainstream values and beliefs and the influences of sending context on their adaptation. The study contributes to the field a different theoretical approach to the study of family management framework among people who leave one country to settle in another country. In the third study, I explore the couple's attitudes and behaviour to family management framework using a quantitative study of 286 respondents. The analysis reveal that traditional attitudes of sex-specific assignment of family work did loose some of their consensus, but are far from having disappeared. The analysis also reveal a two dimensional management structure whereby, wives are dominantly responsible for domestic and childcare tasks, also performs majority of the domestics tasks and childcare; the husbands are dominantly responsible for house services tasks and provider roles and performs most the house-services tasks and provider role. I found also, that major changes in the couple's socio-demographic characteristics i.e. educational qualifications, narrower age gap, and both couple's participation in labour market point less towards clear-cut egalitarianism, which could be an alternative to traditional gender structure. The study shows that a 'modernized traditional' form of family management is salient among this sub-group of immigrant Nigerian families living in London. In a fourth study I use interpretive analysis of the interview transcripts of 18 professional dual-earner couples to explore factors that may explain the prevalence of modernised traditionalism of family management framework. I found that exogenous social rhythms, personal beliefs, and interpersonal negotiation of individual partners play an important role. As a conclusion, I recommend the need to integrate the literatures on management of domestic and childcare tasks with other areas of family work such as provider role and family house-servicesta sks to come up with a model that is useful for both academics and practitioners. In addition, to take into consideration in future studies of immigrants or disabled people etc. The effects of sending context (i.e. reasons for immigrating) and the immigrant perception of their new environment as these variables could have influencing effects on their behaviour. Finally, I suggest that family management research need fresh models that reflect the contemporary world in which families exists.

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Potter, Charles Lee. "A conceptual level framework for wing box structural design and analysis using a physics-based approach." Diss., Georgia Institute of Technology, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/54940.

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There are many challenges facing the aerospace industry that can be addressed with new concepts, technologies, and materials. However, current design methods make it difficult to include these new ideas early in the design of aircraft. This is especially true in the structures discipline, which often uses weight-based methods based upon statistical regressions of historical data. A way to address this is to use physics-based structural analysis and design to create more detailed structural data. Thus, the overall research objective of this dissertation is to develop a physics-based structural analysis method to incorporate new concepts, technologies, and materials into the conceptual design phase. The design space of physics-based structural design problem is characterized as highly multimodal with numerous discontinuities; thus, a large number of alternatives must be explored. Current physics-based structural design methods tend to use high fidelity modeling and analysis tools that are computationally expensive. This dissertation proposes a modeling & simulation environment based on classical structural analysis methods. Using classical structural analysis will enable increased exploration of the design space by reducing the overall run time necessary to evaluate one alternative. The use of physics-based structural optimization using classical structural analysis is tested through experimentation. First the underlying hypotheses are tested in a canonical example by comparing different optimization algorithms ability to locate a global optimum identified through design space exploration. Then the proposed method is compared to a method based on higher fidelity finite element analysis as well as a method based on weight-based empirical data to validate the overall research objective.

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Baker, Ali. "An Investigation of the Interaction between Organizational Culture and Knowledge Sharing through Socialization: A Multi-Level Perspective." Diss., NSUWorks, 2018. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/gscis_etd/1040.

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Knowledge management (KM) has been determined by many researchers as one of the most important domains within the information systems (IS) field, and knowledge sharing (KS) has been identified as the most vital component of KM. Lack of KS within organizations has been approached from many perspectives. One perspective that has been outlined in recent studies is the organizational culture (OC) perspective, which examines the interaction between OC and KS behaviors. Although research has been conducted on OC and KS, the findings of recent studies have been contradictory. These conflicts were due to the different operationalization of KS. The purpose of this research was to conduct a multi method study to investigate the interaction between KS and OC in detail. A case study within a Fortune 50 organization was undertaken to address the problem. By focusing on socialization adopted from the socialization, externalization, combination, internalization (SECI) model, the iceberg theory, and the Competing Values Framework (CVF), two questions were explored to address an unexamined area within the body of knowledge. Per the recent calls for research, the questions addressed KS itemized into knowledge seeking and knowledge contributing, and investigated the phenomenon at multiple levels of the organization. The first question examined the interaction between OC and KS via socialization amongst peers for: (a) overall organization, (b) non-managers, (c) first level managers, and (d) second-level managers. The second question examined the interaction between OC and KS via socialization amongst various levels for: (a) subordinates and managers in overall organization, (b) non-managers and first level managers, and (c) first level managers and second level managers. Data were collected through 82 surveys, 23 interviews, 23 observations, and company records for the calendar year of 2017 to provide multiple types of data for triangulation. The quantitative data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, correlation tables, multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), and visualization. The qualitative data were analyzed through open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. The combined results were triangulated to reach the conclusions. The MANCOVA displayed a significant interaction between OC and KS via socialization. Furthermore, the triangulated results showcased that perceived bureaucratic culture and perceived competitive- bureaucratic culture had a negative relationship with KS via socialization amongst peers, knowledge seeking for manager to subordinate, and subordinate to manager, but not for between level knowledge contributing. While perceived clan culture had a positive relationship with KS via socialization amongst peers, and for knowledge seeking from managers, but not for between level knowledge contributing. Perceived competitive culture was only discovered to have a negative relationship with knowledge seeking for level two managers, while having a positive relationship with knowledge contributing to employees, and knowledge contributing amongst peers with knowledge seeking as moderating variable. The various organizational levels also showcased distinct results which requires further investigation. Future research suggestions were made to extend the body of knowledge through various directions, alongside an IS solution recommendation for organizations to improve KS.

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Yang, Hong, and Dan Luo. "A Study of Additive Manufacturing Technology’s Development and Impact Through the Multi-Level Perspective Framework and the Case of Adidas." Thesis, KTH, Skolan för industriell teknik och management (ITM), 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-254254.

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The Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology, known as 3D printing, is regarded as the ‘next generation of manufacturing’. It is classified as a disruptive technology and AM has attracted scholars worldwide and received extensive attention in various industries, which is significantly changing the way we design, produce, distribute and consume. This paper reviews how the AM development can be explained as a process of technological transition from a radical technological innovation to a social level technology, through integrating the technological innovation and the multilevel perspective (MLP) theories. In this way, we present a conceptual framework that provides a foundation for discussing AM trajectory and discover a development prediction of AM technology in the lens of MLP theoretical perspective. Secondly, the paper elaborates how AM is impacting businesses within the scope of open innovation through a case study on Adidas, to provide empirical support for similar industrial players to better predict the innovation trajectory through AM applications.

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Darwish, Salaheddin. "A simulation-based methodology for the assessment of server-based security architectures for mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs)." Thesis, Brunel University, 2015. http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/13823.

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A Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET) is typically a set of wireless mobile nodes enabled to communicate dynamically in a multi-hop manner without any pre-existing network infrastructure. MANETs have several unique characteristics in contrast to other typical networks, such as dynamic topology, intermittent connectivity, limited resources, and lack of physical security. Securing MANETs is a critical issue as these are vulnerable to many different attacks and failures and have no clear line of defence. To develop effective security services in MANETs, it is important to consider an appropriate trust infrastructure which is tailored to a given MANET and associated application. However, most of the proposed trust infrastructures do not to take the MANET application context into account. This may result in overly secure MANETs that incur an increase in performance and communication overheads due to possible unnecessary security measures. Designing and evaluating trust infrastructures for MANETs is very challenging. This stems from several pivotal overlapping aspects such as MANET constraints, application settings and performance. Also, there is a lack of practical approaches for assessing security in MANETs that take into account most of these aspects. Based on this, this thesis provides a methodological approach which consists of well-structured stages that allows the exploration of possible security alternatives and evaluates these alternatives against dimensions to selecting the best option. These dimensions include the operational level, security strength, performance, MANET contexts along with main security components in a form of a multidimensional security conceptual framework. The methodology describes interdependencies among these dimensions, focusing specifically on the service operational level in the network. To explore these different possibilities, the Server-based Security Architectures for MANETs (SSAM) simulation model has been created in the OMNeT++ simulation language. The thesis describes the conceptualisation, implementation, verification and validation of SSAM, as well as experimentation approaches that use SSAM to support the methodology of this thesis. In addition, three different real cases scenarios (academic, emergency and military domains) are incorporated in this study to substantiate the feasibility of the proposed methodology. The outcome of this approach provides MANET developers with a strategy along with guidelines of how to consider the appropriate security infrastructure that satisfies the settings and requirements of given MANET context.

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Siddiqui, Mohammad Faridul Haque. "A Multi-modal Emotion Recognition Framework Through The Fusion Of Speech With Visible And Infrared Images." University of Toledo / OhioLINK, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1556459232937498.

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Halton, Anne Marie. "Multi-dimensional framework of paradoxical thinking: A qualitative exploratory study in an Australian financial services organisation." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2022. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/236256/1/Anne%2BMarie%2BHalton%2BThesis%281%29.pdf.

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Pervasive and multi-level paradoxical tensions continue to impact many organisations and the individuals who work there. Despite burgeoning literature that has explored paradoxes in general, the existing research into paradoxical thinking (PxT) as an effective response to paradoxical tensions has been fragmented and lacking an overarching framework. This thesis examined several dimensions of PxT, with the aim of better understanding how PxT unfolds. Contributions include a novel conceptualisation of multilevel PxT and how it unfolds within and between individuals, collective and organisational levels, as well as over time.

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Zunino, Hugo Marcelo. "Analytical and conceptual framework to study structures of governance and multi-level power relations in urban initiatives. Empirical application in Concepcion and Santiago, Chile." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/280669.

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This dissertation is focused on constructing and testing an analytical and conceptual framework to study structures of governance moving concrete urban initiatives forward. Relying on Anthony Giddens' notion of structuration I consider structures of governance as outcomes of a recursive relation between social practices and broader properties of the social system and, by embracing some insights from Michel Foucault, I regard the execution of power as a necessary condition for the process of structuration to occur. The framework I develop here suggests reading structures of governance as power arrangements constructed through socio-discursive rules operating for analytical purposes at three distinct functional or institutional levels: policy-making, implementation, and operational. In this way, I attempt to capture the multi-level exercise of power, relating the local conditions in which urban initiatives unfold to broader political and economic situations. I take two Chilean case studies to apply this construct in comparative perspective: the North Rivera Project in the city of Concepcion and the Portal of the Bicentenary Project in the city of Santiago. Both initiatives will bring about profound changes in these cities in terms of creating new spaces for capital investment, building new residential and consumption districts, and affecting the local community either directly through physical displacement or indirectly through the impacts of nearby new urbanized areas. To interpret the rules in place that frame governing processes I make use of semi-structured and documentary evidence. In the concluding section I argue that the analytical and conceptual framework constructed was useful to examine interconnections among levels, to define the channels used by social actors to control society and urban space, and to generate strategic information on which to base policy recommendations. This framework was able to disentangle the social practices creating the distinct and particularistic power relations moving each project forward, suggesting that structures of governance are not only being constructed vertically but also horizontally and/or spatially via actors operating under possibilities and constraints emerging from the broader system and conscious, at the same time, of the local conditions in which they operate and able to deploy strategies consistent with those conditions.

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Chi, Una J. "Classroom Engagement as a Proximal Lever for Student Success in Higher Education| What a Self-Determination Framework within a Multi-Level Developmental System Tells Us." Thesis, Portland State University, 2014. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3616092.

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This study examined the role of course engagement in college student success, especially for students who have multiple life commitments and few social supports. Building on previous measurement work and based in self-determination theory, the study was organized in five steps. Relying on information provided by 860 undergraduates from 12 upper and lower division Psychology classes, the first step was to improve the measurement of course engagement, by mapping the increased complexity found in self-reports of college students (by incorporating items capturing engagement in “out-of-classroom" activities and general orientation, to standard items tapping classroom engaged and disaffected behavior and emotion). 12 items were selected to create a brief assessment covering the conceptual scope of this multidimensional construct; its performance was compared to the full scale and found to be nearly identical. Second, the assessment was validated by examining the functioning of course engagement within the classroom model: As predicted, engagement was linked to proposed contextual and personal antecedents as well as course performance, and fully or partially mediated the effects of both context and self-perceptions on actual class grades; findings also indicated the importance of including a marker of perceived course difficulty. Third, the university level model was examined, which postulated key predictors of students’ overall academic performance and persistence toward graduation. Unexpectedly, academic identity was found to be the primary driver of persistence and the sole predictor of GPA; moreover, it mediated the effects of learning experiences and course engagement on both outcomes. The fourth and most important step was to integrate the classroom and university models through course engagement, to examine whether students’ daily engagement predicted their overall performance and persistence at the university level. As expected, course engagement indeed showed a significant indirect effect (through academic identity) on both success outcomes, and these effects were maintained, even when controlling for the effects of university supports. Finally, student circumstances were added to the integrated model, specifically focusing on whether course engagement buffered cumulative non-academic demands on performance and persistence. Although unexpected, most interesting was the marginal interaction revealing that students whose lives were higher in non-academic demands showed the highest levels of persistence when their course engagement was high (and were the least likely to return next term when their engagement was low). Future measurement work and longitudinal studies are suggested to examine how course engagement cumulatively shapes academic identity, especially for students with differentiated profiles of non-academic demands and supports. Implications of findings are discussed for improving student engagement and success, and for using the brief assessment of course engagement as a tool for instructor professional development, and as part of threshold scores that serve as early warning signs for drop-out and trigger timely and targeted interventions.

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Chi, Una Ji. "Classroom Engagement as a Proximal Lever for Student Success in Higher Education: What a Self-Determination Framework within a Multi-Level Developmental System Tells Us." PDXScholar, 2014. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/1666.

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This study examined the role of course engagement in college student success, especially for students who have multiple life commitments and few social supports. Building on previous measurement work and based in self-determination theory, the study was organized in five steps. Relying on information provided by 860 undergraduates from 12 upper and lower division Psychology classes, the first step was to improve the measurement of course engagement, by mapping the increased complexity found in self-reports of college students (by incorporating items capturing engagement in "out-of-classroom" activities and general orientation, to standard items tapping classroom engaged and disaffected behavior and emotion). 12 items were selected to create a brief assessment covering the conceptual scope of this multidimensional construct; its performance was compared to the full scale and found to be nearly identical. Second, the assessment was validated by examining the functioning of course engagement within the classroom model: As predicted, engagement was linked to proposed contextual and personal antecedents as well as course performance, and fully or partially mediated the effects of both context and self-perceptions on actual class grades; findings also indicated the importance of including a marker of perceived course difficulty. Third, the university level model was examined, which postulated key predictors of students' overall academic performance and persistence toward graduation. Unexpectedly, academic identity was found to be the primary driver of persistence and the sole predictor of GPA; moreover, it mediated the effects of learning experiences and course engagement on both outcomes. The fourth and most important step was to integrate the classroom and university models through course engagement, to examine whether students' daily engagement predicted their overall performance and persistence at the university level. As expected, course engagement indeed showed a significant indirect effect (through academic identity) on both success outcomes, and these effects were maintained, even when controlling for the effects of university supports. Finally, student circumstances were added to the integrated model, specifically focusing on whether course engagement buffered cumulative non-academic demands on performance and persistence. Although unexpected, most interesting was the marginal interaction revealing that students whose lives were higher in non-academic demands showed the highest levels of persistence when their course engagement was high (and were the least likely to return next term when their engagement was low). Future measurement work and longitudinal studies are suggested to examine how course engagement cumulatively shapes academic identity, especially for students with differentiated profiles of non-academic demands and supports. Implications of findings are discussed for improving student engagement and success, and for using the brief assessment of course engagement as a tool for instructor professional development, and as part of threshold scores that serve as early warning signs for drop-out and trigger timely and targeted interventions.

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Johansson, Anna. "Transformativ klimatanpassning inom Sveriges vattenförvaltning : En kvalitativ innehållsanalys av styrdokument inom vattenförvaltningen." Thesis, Karlstads universitet, Institutionen för samhälls- och kulturvetenskap (from 2013), 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-77478.

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Denna uppsats behandlar ämnet klimatanpassning inom vattenförvaltningen i Sverige som härleds från Europeiska Unionens ramdirektiv för vatten. Sveriges vattenresursers utsätts för påfrestningar från klimatförändringar. Klimatanpassning behövs därför för att säkra vattenresurserna för nuvarande och kommande generationer och ett stort ansvar kring detta arbete vilar på lokal nivå i samhället. EU:s utvärdering av vattenförvaltningsarbetet konstaterar att det finns förbättringsmöjligheter gällande sociala och organisatoriska aspekterna kring klimatanpassning. Studiens fokus är på dessa aspekter med tillägg att de även är avgörande för att uppnå en transformativ klimatanpassning, den högsta av tre nivåer inom klimatanpassning där samhällsomvandling sker. Syftet med studien är att undersöka vilka faktorer som påverkar klimatanpassningen på lokal nivå inom vattenförvaltningen i Sverige ur ett transformativt klimatanpassningsperspektiv. Detta undersöks genom att besvara frågeställningarna om vad som driver och begränsar klimatanpassning på lokal nivå inom vattenförvaltningen och hur dessa drivkrafter och begränsningar skulle kunna hanteras för att uppnå en transformativ klimatanpassning. Studien utförs genom en kvalitativ innehållsanalys av samrådsdokument från de fem vattendistrikten i Sverige. Analysen genomförs med en abduktiv inriktning där kontexten är ur ett klimatanpassnings- och riskperspektiv gentemot klimatförändringarnas påverkan på vattenresurserna. Resultatet visar att faktorer som engagemang, målkonflikter, organisation, ansvarsfördelning, samverkan, ekonomiska- och kompetensmässiga resursbrister, nonchalans, lagstiftning och samordning påverkar lokal klimatanpassning inom vattenförvaltningen. I diskussionen knyts resultatet till tidigare forskning och det teoretiska ramverket för att ge en djupare förståelse för faktorernas innebörd i relation till att uppnå en transformativ klimatanpassning och samt de är begränsande eller drivande. Teoretiska ramverket innehållande flernivåstyrning, miljörättvisa, strategiskt ledarskap och samskapande anknyter till hur drivkrafterna och begränsningarna kan hanteras. Slutsatserna för studien visar att implementering av strategiskt ledarskap och samskapande på lokal nivå inom vattenförvaltningen är ett arbetssätt för att uppnå transformativ klimatanpassning. This paper addresses the topic of climate adaptation within water management in Sweden, based on the European Union's Water Framework Directive. Sweden's water resources being exposed to stress from climate change. Therefore, climate adaptation must be implemented to secure water resources for current and future generations and a great responsibility regarding this work rests at the local level in society. The EU evaluation of water management work notes that there is a need for improvement regarding social and organizational aspects of climate adaptation. The focus of the study is on the aforementioned aspects, additionally these aspects are also crucial for achieving a transformative climate adaptation, the highest of three levels in climate adaptation where social transformation takes place. Thus, the purpose of the study is to investigate what factors affect climate adaptation at the local level in water management in Sweden from a transformative climate adaptation perspective. The purpose is fulfilled by answering the questions about what drives and limits climate adaptation at the local level within water management and how these driving forces and constraints could be managed to achieve transformative climate adaptation. The study is conducted through a qualitative content analysis of consultation documents from the five water districts in Sweden. The analysis is conducted with an abductive approach where the context is from a climate adaptation and risk perspective vis-à-vis the effects of climate change on water resources. The results show that factors such as commitment, target conflicts, organization, division of responsibilities, collaboration, financial and skills shortages, non-balance, legislation and coordination affect local climate adaptation in water management. In the discussion, the result is linked to previous research and the theoretical framework to provide a deeper understanding of the significance of the factors in relation to achieving a transformative climate adaptation and if they act as driving forces or constraints. The theoretical framework consisting of multi-level governance, environmental justice, strategic leadership and co-creation links to how the driving forces and constraints can be managed. The conclusions of the study show that implementation of strategic leadership and collaboration at the local level in water management is a possible way of achieving transformative climate adaptation.

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Sheikhkhoshkar, Moslem. "Planification et contrôle multi-niveaux et collaboratifs des chantiers de construction à l’aide de la BIM et du Lean." Electronic Thesis or Diss., Université de Lorraine, 2024. http://www.theses.fr/2024LORR0106.

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La gestion efficace des projets de construction est essentielle en raison de leur complexité inhérente et des implications financières substantielles. À cet égard, la planification et le contrôle des projets jouent un rôle crucial dans la réussite de l'exécution des projets, nécessitant des décisions basées sur les données et les connaissances pour naviguer dans ces complexités et garantir des résultats positifs. Malgré la présence de divers systèmes de planification et de contrôle, une planification et un contrôle inefficaces restent des causes majeures de faible productivité, de dépassements de budget et de retards dans les projets de construction. L'intégration des systèmes de planification et de contrôle existants peut remédier à ces problèmes en agrégant les avantages de chacun. Cependant, un écart significatif subsiste en raison de l'absence d'un cadre intégré et multi-niveaux combinant différentes méthodes de planification et métriques de contrôle à travers divers niveaux d'échéancier, tirant parti des forces de chacun pour offrir une solution plus efficace. De plus, il existe une insuffisance de systèmes basés sur les données et les connaissances qui répondent aux besoins spécifiques et aux applications des équipes de projet en matière de planification et de contrôle, proposant des solutions multi-niveaux optimisées. Cette étude vise à combler cette lacune en développant d'abord un cadre intégré et multi-niveaux pour la planification et le contrôle des projets. Ensuite, elle développe et met en œuvre un système d'aide à la décision (SAD) basé sur les données et les connaissances, qui exploite une base de connaissances construite à partir des expériences des experts. Ce système propose des solutions multi-niveaux et intégrées pour la planification et le contrôle des projets de construction, améliorant à la fois les cadres théoriques et les applications pratiques. Le SAD développé simplifie le processus de prise de décision en posant des questions simples et pertinentes adaptées aux besoins de l'équipe de projet, suggérant ainsi les approches les plus appropriées pour la planification et le contrôle des projets. Le cadre et le système d'aide à la décision développés ont été validés en les appliquant à une étude de cas de rénovation et en recevant des retours positifs de la part des experts. Enfin, une directive méthodologique détaillée a été élaborée pour faciliter la mise en œuvre du système de planification et de contrôle multi-niveaux recommandé par le SAD pour les projets de rénovation. Cette directive offre des instructions claires et étape par étape pour assurer une adoption simple et une intégration efficace dans les pratiques de gestion de projet. Cet outil polyvalent peut être appliqué à divers types de projets durant la phase de préconstruction, déterminant les stratégies de planification et de contrôle les plus efficaces en fonction des exigences fonctionnelles de l'équipe de projet The effective management of construction projects is essential due to their inherent complexity and substantial financial implications. In this regard, the project planning and control domain plays a vital role in successful project execution, which requires data-driven and knowledge-based decisions to navigate these complexities and ensure successful project outcomes. Despite the presence of various planning and control systems, ineffective planning and control remain major causes of low productivity, budget overruns, and delays in construction projects. Integrating existing planning and control systems can address these issues by aggregating the advantages of each. However, a significant gap exists due to the lack of a multi-level and integrated framework that combines different planning methods and control metrics across various schedule levels, leveraging the strengths of each to offer a more effective solution. Furthermore, there is a deficiency in data-driven and knowledge-based systems that address the specific needs and applications of project teams regarding a planning and control system, proposing optimized multi-level solutions. This study aims to bridge this gap by first developing a multi-level and integrated framework for project planning and control. Subsequently, it develops and implements a data-driven and knowledge-based decision support system (DSS) that leverages a knowledge database built from experts' experiences. This system proposes multi-level and integrated solutions for the planning and control of construction projects, enhancing both theoretical frameworks and practical applications. The developed DSS simplifies the decision-making process by posing straightforward and relevant questions tailored to the project team's requirements, thereby suggesting the most suitable approaches for project planning and control. The developed framework and decision support system were validated by applying them to a renovation case study and receiving positive feedback from experts. Eventually, a detailed methodological guideline was crafted to facilitate the implementation of the DSS-recommended multi-level planning and control system for renovation projects. This guideline offers clear, step-by-step instructions to ensure straightforward adoption and effective integration into project management practices. This versatile tool can be applied across various project types during the preconstruction phase, determining the most effective planning and control strategies based on the functional requirements of the project team

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Pan, Jing. "The role of local government in shaping and influencing international policy frameworks." Thesis, De Montfort University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/2086/11117.

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This thesis explores the capacity of local government to influence intergovernmental organizations’ policy frameworks during the formulation and implementation of their instruments and policies. It provides empirical insights into the decision making and implementation of international policy regimes, specifically within a European context, and contributes to the broader theoretical understanding of these regimes through the development of multi-level governance as a framework of analysis. The thesis extends multi-level governance as a theoretical framework in two ways. First, it does so by going beyond its usual development and application within the European Union. The role of local government is examined in the pan-European political context shaped by the Council of Europe. Second, it pays special attention to the upstream link between local authorities and international actors in the context of multi-level governance settings. To date, most research on local government in multi-level governance settings has focused on the new challenges brought by extended multiple tiers of jurisdictions and how local government has been affected by the internationally shaped political arrangements. Little attention has been placed on the upward flow of interaction of local authorities or their capacity to influence international decision making and policy implementation. Empirical research in this thesis has focused on the capacity of local government to share the meta-steering role with the multi-level governance framework. The potential of local government to influence the international policy frameworks has been investigated based on its unique value in enhancing good governance in line with international norms and principles. At the theoretical level, the research argues multi-level governance reflects not simply the redistribution of power resources among various actors, but also the process of reshaping understanding and preferences through direct communication between actors at different territorial levels. It suggests that local political preferences can be shaped and reframed by broader values and consequently generates significant influence on higher level policy outcomes. However, despite the existence of specific constitutional devices for involving local development in the legislative processes of the Council of Europe, empirical evidence shows local authorities have largely failed to take up this opportunity, and their influence remains limited. Implications hence can be drawn for wider utilization of local engagement in intergovernmental organizations; for example, within the context the Committee of the Regions of the Europe Union.

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Curry, Dion. "Multi-level governance frameworks in British Columbia and Scotland, or how I learned to stop worrying and love the concept." Thesis, University of Sheffield, 2011. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.555891.

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This thesis aims to determine whether the concept of multi-level governance works on a practical, theoretical and normative level as a valid and unique concept in the bottom-up analysis of politics and policy. To do this, two case studies - British Columbia and Scotland - are examined to resolve what the current conception of MLG adds to our understanding of governance. The central argument of this thesis is that in order to develop the idea of 'governance' as a theoretical and practical concept, analysis of policy and politics must take into account both the level of hierarchy and the flexibility of the governance framework in order to understand the nature of governance processes in the case in question and the effect of these processes on politics as a whole. This deeper conceptualisation of governance will allow for a clearer understanding of the relationship between governance and power, the implications of governance structures on political and policy processes and the true extent that multi-level 'governance' has taken hold over a more traditional idea of multi-level 'government'.

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Teng, Sin Yong. "Intelligent Energy-Savings and Process Improvement Strategies in Energy-Intensive Industries." Doctoral thesis, Vysoké učení technické v Brně. Fakulta strojního inženýrství, 2020. http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-433427.

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S tím, jak se neustále vyvíjejí nové technologie pro energeticky náročná průmyslová odvětví, stávající zařízení postupně zaostávají v efektivitě a produktivitě. Tvrdá konkurence na trhu a legislativa v oblasti životního prostředí nutí tato tradiční zařízení k ukončení provozu a k odstavení. Zlepšování procesu a projekty modernizace jsou zásadní v udržování provozních výkonů těchto zařízení. Současné přístupy pro zlepšování procesů jsou hlavně: integrace procesů, optimalizace procesů a intenzifikace procesů. Obecně se v těchto oblastech využívá matematické optimalizace, zkušeností řešitele a provozní heuristiky. Tyto přístupy slouží jako základ pro zlepšování procesů. Avšak, jejich výkon lze dále zlepšit pomocí moderní výpočtové inteligence. Účelem této práce je tudíž aplikace pokročilých technik umělé inteligence a strojového učení za účelem zlepšování procesů v energeticky náročných průmyslových procesech. V této práci je využit přístup, který řeší tento problém simulací průmyslových systémů a přispívá následujícím: (i)Aplikace techniky strojového učení, která zahrnuje jednorázové učení a neuro-evoluci pro modelování a optimalizaci jednotlivých jednotek na základě dat. (ii) Aplikace redukce dimenze (např. Analýza hlavních komponent, autoendkodér) pro vícekriteriální optimalizaci procesu s více jednotkami. (iii) Návrh nového nástroje pro analýzu problematických částí systému za účelem jejich odstranění (bottleneck tree analysis – BOTA). Bylo také navrženo rozšíření nástroje, které umožňuje řešit vícerozměrné problémy pomocí přístupu založeného na datech. (iv) Prokázání účinnosti simulací Monte-Carlo, neuronové sítě a rozhodovacích stromů pro rozhodování při integraci nové technologie procesu do stávajících procesů. (v) Porovnání techniky HTM (Hierarchical Temporal Memory) a duální optimalizace s několika prediktivními nástroji pro podporu managementu provozu v reálném čase. (vi) Implementace umělé neuronové sítě v rámci rozhraní pro konvenční procesní graf (P-graf). (vii) Zdůraznění budoucnosti umělé inteligence a procesního inženýrství v biosystémech prostřednictvím komerčně založeného paradigmatu multi-omics.

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Feng, Yi-Chieh, and 馮怡婕. "Establishment of Data Exchange Framework for Multi-Level 3D Cadastre Building Model." Thesis, 2009. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/55327603334373686864.

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碩士 國立臺北大學 不動產與城鄉環境學系 97 The traditional 2D grid or vector maps have been unable to meet the demand for human use, with the progress of data mining and computer technology, geographic information gradually towards the development of 3D information in a more realistic description of where human beings have lived in. Currently, the construction of Cyber City in the world becomes a hot topic, and the establishment of 3D building model is especially the focus no matter in domestically or abroad. Most of the researches put the emphasis on 3D visualization of the building, however, the 3D building model should not only show the appearance of buildings, but also integrate value-added application of other relevant information. In addition, due to the complexity of 3D building models, therefore it requires huge amount of resources, how to share the 3D building models built in different areas has also catch people’s attention. The two major international standards organizations ISO and OGC were actively involved in development of related standards of geographic information. OGC has officially announced CityGML as an encoding standard for the representation, storage and exchange of virtual 3D city models in August 2008. Our government agencies and academic institutions also follow the trend of the flow which aggressively promoted the exchange of geographic information research and standards development. Unfortunately, currently, we put more focus on 2D geodata standards, but lacking exchange standard for 3D geographic information. To conclude, the study adopts the concept of level-of-detail (LOD) to build continuous four level-of-details modeling of 3D building models. Complete the multi-level 3D cadastre building model by using the topographic maps of Urban Development Organization to model LOD1-LOD2 building models and of Land Portal to structure LOD3-LOD4 building models. Regarding the data flow, the study designs a set of data exchange framework of 3D cadastral building model which followed international standards OGC CityGML and the contents and characteristics of multi-level 3D cadastral building models, at the same time to use open 3D display software to verify information on 3D cadastral building model data circulation feasibility.

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Segonne, Florent, Jean-Philippe Pons, Bruce Fischl, and Eric Grimson. "A Novel Active Contour Framework. Multi-component Level Set Evolution under Topology Control." 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/30550.

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We present a novel framework to exert a topology control over a level set evolution. Level set methods offer several advantages over parametric active contours, in particular automated topological changes. In some applications, where some a priori knowledge of the target topology is available, topological changes may not be desirable. A method, based on the concept of simple point borrowed from digital topology, was recently proposed to achieve a strict topology preservation during a level set evolution. However, topologically constrained evolutions often generate topological barriers that lead to large geometric inconsistencies. We introduce a topologically controlled level set framework that greatly alleviates this problem. Unlike existing work, our method allows connected components to merge, split or vanish under some specific conditions that ensure that no topological defects are generated. We demonstrate the strength of our method on a wide range of numerical experiments.

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Peng, Shin-Hwei, and 彭馨慧. "A Framework Using Prolog detect SQL Policy Conflict with Multi-level Secure Database for Example." Thesis, 2011. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/44590518144502934915.

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碩士 逢甲大學 資訊工程所 99 Using Policy-based System is the trend of the future. There are more and more researches on the policy. However the area of policy specification, policy conflict,…etc.. In general, the area of policy is relating to database. Thus policy is used in the management of database usually. The most commonly used Language is SQL in the database environment, whether Modify data and manage database. It is not possible that a large database management just has only one user. But the user will not know what policies the other users inputting. Even the users forget what policies they ever inputting. Therefore, users input the new policy, there are many conflicts maybe be found. It is prone to policy conflicts easily. In this research, we use the most common language in the database environment SQL as the starting. At first, we transform the new SQL policy inputting by users to Prolog policy. Prolog is the kind of logic programming. And then, the Prolog program will check whether the new policy and the previous policies occurs policy conflicts. The result of checking will return to users. If the message is policy conflicts are found, users can decide to modify the new policy or update the policies in database. And if the message is policy conflicts are not found, the new policy will store in the policy database for the next time checking.

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Taghaddos, Hosein. "Developing a Generic Resource Allocation Framework for Construction Simulation." Phd thesis, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10048/1327.

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The allocation of resources over time, referred to as resource scheduling, in large-scale construction environments is a challenging problem. Although traditional network scheduling techniques are the most popular scheduling techniques in the construction industry, they are ineffective in modeling the dynamic nature and resource interactions of large projects. Simulation based modeling or optimization techniques are also time-consuming, complicated and costly to be implemented in large-scale projects. This research is focused on developing a new framework to insert artificial intelligence inside construction simulations for facilitating the resource allocation process. The first stage in this study was developing a framework to solve resource scheduling problems in large scale construction projects. This framework, called the Simulation Based Auction Protocol (SBAP), integrates Multi-Agent Resource Allocation (MARA) in a simulation environment. This hybrid framework deploys centralized MARA (i.e., auction protocols) whereby agents bid on different combinations of resources at the start of a simulation cycle. Agents attempt to improve their individual welfare by acquiring a combination of resources. An auctioneer is designed to allocate resources to the agents by maximizing the overall welfare of the society. Simulation is also employed to track the availability of resources, and manage resource oriented activities. This framework is implemented in two large construction applications of scheduling module assembly yard and multiple heavy lift planning in modular construction. The second objective of this project is to develop a generic resource allocation component for addressing optimized resource allocation in various construction projects. This component is developed in a large scale model using High Level Architecture (HLA), instead of traditional simulation environments. HLA allows splitting a large scale model, known as a federation, into a number of manageable components (i.e., federates), while maintaining interoperability between them. A generic Resource Allocation (RA) federate is designed to act as an auctioneer for federates developed based on the SBAP. Another generic federate is also built to automate the communication with the RA federate. These two generic federates can be reused in various construction federations. This framework is successfully implemented in an industrial construction process that involves different supply chains including spool fabrication, module assembly and heavy crane lifts in site construction. Construction Engineering and Management

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Opeyemi, Fasasi Ridwan. "Developing a Multi-stage Assessment Framework to measure e-skills level of community development workers in South Africa." Thesis, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10321/1714.

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Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the Master of Information & Communication Technology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. Community Development service practitioners in South Africa have been increasingly burdened with a broader range of responsibilities. Using ICT proficiently could enhance their productivity. The use of ICT is prevalent in almost every organization, therefore, it can also serve as a major factor in providing flexibility of service to communities, but only if the practitioners possess adequate skills in retrieving, presenting and disseminating valuable and adequate information within the workplace to the parties involved. Training interventions are however not always successful and their impact need to be measured. This study focussed on developing a Multi-Stage assessment model to measure the impact of an ICT training intervention, to provide evidence of the effectivity of the training. A syllabus was developed, based on the European e-Competence Framework for ICT Users - Part 1 (CEN, 2013) and contextualized to suit the work environment of Community Development Workers (CDWs) from KwaZulu-Natal, training material was created and a Learning Management System was used to deliver the training. A self-assessment questionnaire was used to determine the pre-training skills level of the CDWs, 189 CDWs from KwaZulu-Natal were trained and a second questionnaire was used to measure the impact of the training. Results were analysed using Item Response Theory, which provided a way to measure not only overall competency but responses to specific items. Classical Test Theory measuring frequencies and averages were also use and the two sets of responses were compared. The training was found to be effective. Recommendations towards the development of a Multi-Stage assessment model are made. M

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Azevedo, Isabel Maria Gonçalves. "A Methodology for Ex-Post Evaluation of Local Climate Change Mitigation Actions under a Multi-Level Governance Framework." Doctoral thesis, 2019. https://hdl.handle.net/10216/120927.

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Tung, Chun-Hsien, and 董純賢. "Adopting the framework of Multi-level Class Priority with Multiple Classifiers to improve the Accuracy of Text Classification." Thesis, 2010. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/43710491878925013881.

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碩士 淡江大學 資訊工程學系碩士在職專班 98 Regardless that the associative classification (AC) [1][2] method normally ranks the sequence according to the prescribed criteria, yet in terms of the problem of rule dependency that exists between rules, under the identical confidence value, support value and length criteria, the sequence by which the rules are executed can still impact the classification results. The core of the thesis, focusing on rule ranking problems, entails for more than adopting the Lazy[3] method as the general ranking principle for conducting document classification focusing on 100% confidence level, but also by pruning the classified documents to recalculate the confidence value ranking, together with using a multilevel class priority concept, to examine how it affects the classification performance. The TFIDF[4] weighing and the minimum classification criteria derived from the preliminary classification using the Naïve Bayes[5] classifier are used to define a single still-mode threshold value, and the Naïve Bayes classifier used to classify documents unclassifiable by the associative classification method, aiming to resolve the problem of lowering the classification precision rate due to the preset categories when using the associative classifiers.

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Azevedo, Isabel Maria Gonçalves. "A Methodology for Ex-Post Evaluation of Local Climate Change Mitigation Actions under a Multi-Level Governance Framework." Tese, 2019. https://hdl.handle.net/10216/120927.

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De, Poli C., Jan R. Oyebode, M. Airoldi, and R. Glover. "A need-based, multi-level, cross-sectoral framework to explain variations in satisfaction of care needs among people living with dementia." 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/18149.

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Yes BACKGROUND: Provision of care and support for people with dementia and family carers is complex, given variation in how dementia manifests, progresses and affects people, co-morbidities associated with ageing, as well as individual preferences, needs, and circumstances. The traditional service-led approach, where individual needs are assessed against current service provision, has been recognised as unfit to meet such complexity. As a result, people with dementia and family members often fail to receive adequate support, with needs remaining unmet. Current research lacks a conceptual framework for explaining variation in satisfaction of care needs. This work develops a conceptual framework mapped onto the care delivery process to explain variations in whether, when and why care needs of people with dementia are met and to expose individual-, service-, system-level factors that enable or hinder needs satisfaction. METHODS: Data collected through 24 in-depth interviews and two focus groups (10 participants) with people with dementia and family carers living in the North East of England (UK) were analysed thematically to develop a typology of care needs. The need most frequently reported for people with dementia (i.e. for support to go out and about) was analysed using themes stemming from the conceptual framework which combined candidacy and discrepancy theories. RESULTS: The operationalisation of the framework showed that satisfaction of the need to go out was first determined at the point of service access, affected by issues about navigation, adjudication, permeability, users' resistance to offers, users' appearance, and systems-level operating conditions, and, subsequently, at the point of service use, when factors related to service structure and care process determined (dis)satisfaction with service and, hence, further contributed to met or unmet need. CONCLUSION: The conceptual framework pinpoints causes of variations in satisfaction of care needs which can be addressed when designing interventions and service improvements. We gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Health Foundation (grant number 1274233).

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Cronin, de Chavez A., Shahid Islam, and R. R. C. McEachan. "Not a level playing field: a qualitative study exploring structural, community and individual determinants of greenspace use amongst low-income multi-ethnic families." 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/16854.

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Yes Greenspace is important for physical and mental health. Low-income, multi-ethnic populations in deprived urban areas experience several barriers to using greenspace. This may exacerbate health inequalities. The current study explored structural and individual determinants of greenspace use amongst parents of young children in an urban, deprived, multi-cultural area situated in the North of England, UK. Semi-structured in-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with 30 parents of children aged 0–3 between December 2016 and May 2017 from a range of ethnic groups. Thematic analyses were informed by the Human Health Habitat Map and the Theoretical Domains Framework. The results show that whilst all families recognised the benefits of greenspaces, use was bounded by a variety of structural, community, and individual determinants. Individual determinants preventing use included lack of knowledge about where to go, or how to get there and confidence in managing young children whilst outdoors. Fear of crime, antisocial behaviour and accidents were the overriding barriers to use, even in high quality spaces. Social and community influences both positively encouraged use (for example, positive social interactions, and practical support by others) and prevented use (antisocial or inappropriate behaviours experienced in greenspace). The built environment was a key barrier to use. Problems related to unsuitable or unsafe playgrounds, no gardens or safe areas for children's play, poor accessibility, and lack of toilets were identified. However, the value that parents and children placed on natural blue and green features was an enabler to use. Contextual influences included external time pressures, difficulties of transporting and caring for young children and poor weather. Multi-sectoral efforts are needed to tackle the uneven playing field experienced by multi-ethnic, urban, deprived communities. Initiatives to increase use should tackle structural quality issues, addressing fears about safety, whilst simultaneously encouraging communities to reclaim their local greenspaces. received funding through a peer review process from the Big Lottery Fund as part of the A Better Start programme. RM is partly funded by the NIHR CLAHRC Yorkshire and Humber.

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Morrison, Natalie M. V. "Attentional resourcing : the role of cognitive complexity and cognitive load : integrating multiple- and unitary-model predictions into a two-level hierarchical framework." Thesis, 2010. http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/496121.

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There are two primary attentional resource models that attempt to describe human attentional processing capabilities in multi-task situations. The unitary-resource model assumes a single store of modality-independent attentional resources which enable attentional processing for all modalities (Kahneman, 1972). It follows that performance predictions for within-modal dual-task processing (2 concurrent auditory (AA) or 2 concurrent visual (VV)) and for cross-modal dual-task processing (1 auditory concurrent with 1 visual (AV)) are similar – the two tasks compete for a share of the same resources with a consequent decrement in performance (in terms of accuracy and processing speed) irrespective of whether a cross- or within-modal task is being performed. In contrast, the multiple-resource model assumes multiple modality-specific attentional resource stores which are specific for processing in a single modality (Wickens, 1980), so it follows that this model would predict that cross-modal dual-task processing will be superior (in terms of accuracy and processing speed) to within-modal dual-task processing since in cross-modal processing the auditory and visual tasks will not compete for resources. Results from proponents of each class of model tend to support their models which could be seen as a theoretical impasse; however a review of the literature here indicates that the studies supporting each model tend to use particular methods that differ to those used in studies supporting the alternative. The proposition here is that these different methods lead to distinctly different levels of cognitive load being imposed on the individual. A model-continuum is proposed anchored at each end by these two models, with movement between these extremes being a function of the cognitive load of the task; lowest cognitive load being associated with strong multiple-resource support and high cognitive load with strong unitary-resource support. In a series of studies extraneous, intrinsic and germane cognitive load are manipulated to test the hypothesis that there will be a cross-modal advantage in conditions of low cognitive load and that as load increases the cross-modal advantage will diminish. In all the studies a dual-task target identification paradigm was used with alphabetic letters presented in rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) and rapid auditory presentation (RAP) sequences in within-modal (AA and VV) and cross-modal (AV) conditions with objective (accuracy and reaction time) and subjective (ratings of complexity, difficulty and confidence) measures taken. In Study One no changes to the cross-modal advantage were evident across load, however subjective data suggested the cognitive load manipulation (target-distractor similarity) was ineffective. In Study Two cognitive load was manipulated by stimulus presentation rate resulting in significant cross-modal advantages under low load conditions which diminished as load increased. In Study Three the effects of motivation and task exposure were evaluated with results demonstrating that increased motivation and exposure sustained the cross-modal advantage even in high load conditions. Moreover, rated difficulty was a superior predictor of performance to rated complexity, while rated confidence was a predictor specifically in VV within-modal processing. In Study Four a hierarchical-resource model was investigated by introducing additional levels of cognitive load, and contrasting single-, dual- and tri-task performance. Results suggested that in low load conditions modality-specific resources maintain performance while in high load conditions modality-independent resources replenish these reserves. The pattern of decrement in the cross-modal advantage as a function of cognitive load suggests the Interactive Hierarchical Resource Model is a more accurate representation of human resource system than either the multiple- or unitary-resource model alone. As support for a hierarchical model means that predictions of a categorically present or absent cross-modal advantage (as in the multiple and unitary-resource models respectively) are no longer appropriate, implications with respect to performance predictions and workplace designs are discussed with an appreciation of the role of the operator’s perceptions and the load requirements of task in the degree of any cross-modal advantage.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Multi-Level framework'

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