Achieving and Demonstrating Pipeline Engineering Capability: The Role of Competency Standards, and Their Use for Qualifications and Registration

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Harvey
Keyword(s):  
Asset Management ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Job Level ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Petroleum Pipelines ◽  
Development Plans

There is increasing pressure on the pipeline industry to be able to demonstrate that its asset management and engineering capability management are at a satisfactory level. This is needed to give policymakers, regulators and industry stakeholders confidence in the safety and environmental sustainability of petroleum pipelines. Regulators, in particular, are seeking assurance from pipeline owner/operators that they have capable pipeline engineers designing, constructing, operating and maintaining petroleum pipelines. At present, there are no generally accepted approaches to recognising and developing pipeline engineering capability. The paper will discuss three levels of capability recognition as: (1) registration – as pipeline engineers (not just in mechanical, civil or chemical engineers (overall standing level)) – (2) qualification (sub-discipline/job level) and (3) competency (task level). The most granular and useful of these is competency. This is because it is at the level that is most immediate: the task at hand. Competency, the combination of knowledge and experience that leads to expertise, is increasingly seen as the best practice basis for learning, particularly for professionals. Significantly, once competencies have been defined in competency standards, they can become the building blocks used to define the requirements for both registration and qualification. The Australian Pipelines and Gas Association (APGA) has developed a comprehensive competency system for both onshore and offshore sectors. There are 226 onshore competency standards and 57 offshore competency standards describing, in a succinct format, what is required to be competent. The succinct format of the competency standards avoids the pitfalls of many other systems of competency description, providing enough information to be clear about what is required without unnecessary complexity. In addition to the detailed competency standards, the competency system has tools, resources and a progressive rating scale that make competency standards accessible and easily used. The competency system is characterised by such flexibility that, to date, APGA has identified 15 applications, all of which will add value to engineers and the companies that employ them. The paper will explain, in detail, APGA’s Pipeline Engineer Competency System, how it works and how it can provide the building blocks for a wide range of tasks that support the training, development and recognition of pipeline engineers’ capabilities, including defining the requirements for registration and qualification. The paper will provide case studies, based on the APGA Competency System, showing how it can be used to create requirements for qualifications and registration and to design in-house training and development plans.

Promoting Environmental Sustainability Governance

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Miftachul Huda ◽  
Azmil Hashim ◽  
Mohd Aderi Che Noh ◽  
Mohd Hairy Ibrahim ◽  
Budi Rismayadi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Environmental Concern ◽  
Policy Formulation ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Strategic Partnership ◽  
Development Agenda ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
University Industry

In the last decade, the emerging needs for social responsibility on environmental concern has been considerably transmitted into the initiative of firm alliance. This chapter attempts to examine the essential points of university-, industry-, and community-based strategic partnership for further collaboration alliance. This chapter focuses on the key role of strategic partnership with cooperating into the concern in driving the procedural stage on sustainable development. The findings reveal that outstanding value of strategic partnership would give insights into empowering sustainable-based institutional arrangements assigned with the wide attempts to contribute the prudent public policy formulation to implement the good service to solve environmental and related issues. The value is that strategic partnership trend incorporated in this context would be the point of view for sustainable development agenda rooted into the way of living processes paradigm together with demonstrating the wide range of sustainable governance.

scholarly journals The Dutch Cybersecurity Landscape: From Cyber ‘Air Castles’ to Concrete Building Blocks

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Max Smeets ◽  
Joost Bunk
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Cyber Security ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Dutch Government ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Government ◽  
Coordination And Collaboration ◽  
Key Terms

Since 2010, the Netherlands has led a wide range of initiatives promoting cybersecurity and stability. The government currently engages with variety of stakeholders – including the private sector, civil society, state actors, and intergovernmental organizations – across multiple fora and organizations. Rather than being a passive participant, the Netherlands has been a catalyst, driving change in the field of cyber security both domestically and internationally. Yet, the challenge which lies ahead for the Dutch government is to make sure their cyber efforts as a whole will become greater than the sum of its parts. It will require increased coordination and collaboration across initiatives to turn the current patchwork into a synergistic endeavor. Our argument is presented in four parts. The first part provides an overview of the national cyber security strategies published since 2011. It also addresses which key terms have been defined by the Dutch government. The second part discusses the Dutch government’s views on sovereignty, international law and international cooperation. Part three analyzes the role of the private sector in the Netherlands. The final part concludes.

scholarly journals The Role of Biosurfactants in the Continued Drive for Environmental Sustainability

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 4817 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ibukun Olasanmi ◽  
Ronald Thring
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Environmental Pollutants ◽  
Waste Reduction ◽  
Industry Research ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Low Toxicity ◽  
Microbial Products ◽  
Near Future

Biosurfactants are microbial products that have been increasingly researched due to their many identified advantages, such as low toxicity and high activity at extreme temperatures, but more importantly, they are biodegradable and compatible with the environment. Biosurfactants are versatile products with vast applications in the clean-up of environmental pollutants through biodegradation and bioremediation. They also have applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and other industries. These advantages and wide range of applications have led to the continued interest in biosurfactants. In particular, there is a growing discussion around environmental sustainability and the important role that biosurfactants will increasingly play in the near future, for example, via the use of renewable by-products as substrates, waste reduction, and potential reuse of the treated waste. This has resulted in increased attention on these microbial products in industry. Research highlighting the potential of biosurfactants in environmental sustainability is required to drive efforts to make biosurfactants more viable for commercial and large-scale applications; making them available, cheaper and economically sustainable. The present review discusses the unique relationship between biosurfactants and environmental sustainability, especially the role that biosurfactants play in the clean-up of environmental pollutants and, therefore, increasing environmental protection.

Unions and corporate social responsibility in a liberal market context: The case of Ford’s shutdown in Australia

2020 ◽  
Vol 62 (5) ◽  
pp. 713-734
Author(s):  
Darryn Snell ◽  
Victor Gekara
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Industrial Relations ◽  
Socially Responsible ◽  
Labour Unions ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Corporate Social

Within many coordinated market economies, labour unions have demonstrated to be key actors in shaping corporate social responsibility. Researchers have, however, paid surprisingly little attention to the role of unions in shaping corporate social responsibility strategies and responses in liberal market contexts. This article extends the emerging research on unions and corporate social responsibility through a case study which investigates union influences over corporate social responsibility within the liberal market context of Australia. We conceptualise the role of unions in corporate social responsibility in this context through an industrial relations lens with particular reference to collective bargaining. Drawing on qualitative data, the case study examines the Ford Motor Company’s recent closure of its Australian assembly operations which was hailed by a wide range of stakeholders as an exemplar of ‘best practice’ in their assistance of displaced workers. We conclude that, while highly socially responsible, Ford’s actions were far from voluntary but influenced by a combination of union influence and a ‘subsidised’ corporate social responsibility, where the state, unable and/or powerless to legislate good corporate social behaviour, chose to financially underwrite its cost to the firm. The study represents one of the first studies to demonstrate how unions shape corporate social responsibility strategies of firms in liberal market contexts and how ‘subsidised’ corporate social responsibility becomes an alternative political solution within such a context.

Self-Organized Modularization in Evolutionary Algorithms

2005 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Dauscher ◽  
Thomas Uthmann
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary Computation ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Search Space ◽  
Equivalence Classes ◽  
Self Organized ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Simple Genetic Algorithms ◽  
Evolutionary Operators ◽  
Selection Factor

The principle of modularization has proven to be extremely successful in the field of technical applications and particularly for Software Engineering purposes. The question to be answered within the present article is whether mechanisms can also be identified within the framework of Evolutionary Computation that cause a modularization of solutions. We will concentrate on processes, where modularization results only from the typical evolutionary operators, i.e. selection and variation by recombination and mutation (and not, e.g., from special modularization operators). This is what we call Self-Organized Modularization. Based on a combination of two formalizations by Radcliffe and Altenberg, some quantitative measures of modularity are introduced. Particularly, we distinguish Built-in Modularityas an inherent property of a genotype and Effective Modularity, which depends on the rest of the population. These measures can easily be applied to a wide range of present Evolutionary Computation models. It will be shown, both theoretically and by simulation, that under certain conditions, Effective Modularity (as defined within this paper) can be a selection factor. This causes Self-Organized Modularization to take place. The experimental observations emphasize the importance of Effective Modularityin comparison with Built-in Modularity. Although the experimental results have been obtained using a minimalist toy model, they can lead to a number of consequences for existing models as well as for future approaches. Furthermore, the results suggest a complex self-amplification of highly modular equivalence classes in the case of respected relations. Since the well-known Holland schemata are just the equivalence classes of respected relations in most Simple Genetic Algorithms, this observation emphasizes the role of schemata as Building Blocks (in comparison with arbitrary subsets of the search space).

scholarly journals Towards Circular Social Housing: An Exploration of Practices, Barriers, and Enablers

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 2100
Author(s):  
Sultan Çetin ◽  
Vincent Gruis ◽  
Ad Straub
Keyword(s):  
Asset Management ◽  
Social Housing ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Housing Stock ◽  
Business Case ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Financial Barriers ◽  
The Social ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Circular Flows

The concept of Circular Economy (CE) and its application in the built environment is an emerging research field. Scholars approach CE from various perspectives covering a wide range of topics from material innovation to city-scale application. However, there is little research on CE implementation in housing stock, particularly that which is managed or owned by the social housing organisations (SHOs) and which offers opportunities to generate circular flows of materials at the portfolio level. This research focuses on Dutch SHOs and uses the Delphi method to examine CE practices in their asset management, as well as the main barriers to and potential enablers of its uptake. The analysis of two iterative rounds of expert questioning indicates that Dutch SHOs are in the early experimental phase in CE implementation. From the results, it is evident that organisational, cultural, and financial barriers are the most pressing ones that hinder the wider adoption of CE in their asset management. Building on the panel input, this study suggests potential enablers to overcome these barriers, such as CE legislation, best practice case studies, commitment and support from the top management, and the creation of a clear business case.

scholarly journals The Role of Antypsychotic Therapy in the Development of Akathisia in Patients with Schizophrenia

Psychiatry ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 32-38
Author(s):  
A. A. Goncharova ◽  
E. G. Kornetova
Keyword(s):  
Antipsychotic Drugs ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Continuous Method ◽  
Antipsychotic Therapy ◽  
Haloperidol Decanoate ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Online Calculator ◽  
Zuclopenthixol Decanoate

The use of antipsychotic therapy in patients with schizophrenia is associated with the development of a wide range of adverse events, among which akathisia is one of the most common. Objective: to assess the risk of akathisia in patients with schizophrenia receiving various antipsychotic therapy. Patients and methods. A continuous method examined 250 inpatients with a verified diagnosis of schizophrenia. The akathisia assessment was performed using the Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale (BARS). The odds ratio was estimated using the MedCalc® online calculator. Results: akathisia was detected in 92 (36.8%) examined. The combination of two antipsychotic drugs has an increased risk of akathisia in patients with schizophrenia OR = 1.69 (95% CI: 1.0–2.88; p = 0.04), however the use of conventional and atypical drugs was associated with a reduction in risk (OR = 0.45 (95% CI: 0.21–0.95; p = 0.037)). Patients receiving basic therapy zuclopenthixol decanoate had increased risk of akathisia 4 times as compared to haloperidol decanoate (OR = 3.85 (95% CI: 1,26–12,22; p = 0.021)). Conclusions: It was shown that the choice of antipsychotic therapy should be based not only on the actual mental state of the patient, but also considering the potential risk of akathisia.

scholarly journals The Future of National Development Banks

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
National Development ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Economic Policies ◽  
Depth Study ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Development Banks

The topic of national development banks was largely neglected in the academic literature for a long period, and was limited to a debate between admirers and detractors of these institutions. Since the 2007/9 financial crisis, interest in and support for these institutions have broadly increased, in developing, emerging, and developed countries alike. The key issues are understanding how such development banks work, what their main aims are, what instruments, incentives, and governance work better in general and in particular contexts, and what are their links with the private financial and corporate sector, as well as with broader government policies. This book aims to provide an in-depth study of several key cases of national development banks (in Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Mexico, Germany, and Peru) as well as horizontal issues such as their role in innovation and structural change, infrastructure financing, financial inclusion, environmental sustainability, the countercyclical role of development financing, and the regulatory rules that are best for these institutions. From both a research and a policymaking perspective, this book concludes that development banks can make a significant contribution to development. It analyses their roles, the link with broader economic policies, their governance, and the main instruments they use to perform their functions. The book has important policy implications for countries that have development banks, so they can improve them, but also for countries which do not yet have them, and can learn from best practice should they wish to establish them.

The Problem of Identifying and Modeling the Relationship between Monetary Factor and Inflation in the Russian Economy

2008 ◽  
pp. 61-76
Author(s):  
A. Porshakov ◽  
A. Ponomarenko
Keyword(s):  
Money Supply ◽  
Money Demand ◽  
Russian Economy ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Complex Approach ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Long Time ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Supply Side Factors

The role of monetary factor in generating inflationary processes in Russia has stimulated various debates in social and scientific circles for a relatively long time. The authors show that identification of the specificity of relationship between money and inflation requires a complex approach based on statistical modeling and involving a wide range of indicators relevant for the price changes in the economy. As a result a model of inflation for Russia implying the decomposition of inflation dynamics into demand-side and supply-side factors is suggested. The main conclusion drawn is that during the recent years the volume of inflationary pressures in the Russian economy has been determined by the deviation of money supply from money demand, rather than by money supply alone. At the same time, monetary factor has a long-run spread over time impact on inflation.

Introduction: Emotion, History and the Arts

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Sullivan ◽  
Marie Louise Herzfeld-Schild
Keyword(s):  
Historical Change ◽  
Carson Mccullers ◽  
Emotional Life ◽  
Review Section ◽  
The Arts ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
War Correspondents ◽  
History Of ◽  
Johan Huizinga

This introduction surveys the rise of the history of emotions as a field and the role of the arts in such developments. Reflecting on the foundational role of the arts in the early emotion-oriented histories of Johan Huizinga and Jacob Burkhardt, as well as the concerns about methodological impressionism that have sometimes arisen in response to such studies, the introduction considers how intensive engagements with the arts can open up new insights into past emotions while still being historically and theoretically rigorous. Drawing on a wide range of emotionally charged art works from different times and places—including the novels of Carson McCullers and Harriet Beecher-Stowe, the private poetry of neo-Confucian Chinese civil servants, the photojournalism of twentieth-century war correspondents, and music from Igor Stravinsky to the Beatles—the introduction proposes five ways in which art in all its forms contributes to emotional life and consequently to emotional histories: first, by incubating deep emotional experiences that contribute to formations of identity; second, by acting as a place for the expression of private or deviant emotions; third, by functioning as a barometer of wider cultural and attitudinal change; fourth, by serving as an engine of momentous historical change; and fifth, by working as a tool for emotional connection across communities, both within specific time periods but also across them. The introduction finishes by outlining how the special issue's five articles and review section address each of these categories, while also illustrating new methodological possibilities for the field.

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