scholarly journals Modelling Flexibility and Qualification Ability to Assess Electric Propulsion Architectures for Satellite Megaconstellations

Aerospace ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 176
Author(s):  
Massimo Panarotto ◽  
Olivia Borgue ◽  
Ola Isaksson
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Electric Propulsion ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Market Behavior ◽  
Production Rates ◽  
Program Managers ◽  
Engineering Teams ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Way

The higher satellite production rates expected in new megaconstellation scenarios involve radical changes in the way design trade-offs need to be considered by electric propulsion companies. In relative comparison, flexibility and qualification ability will have a higher impact in megaconstellations compared to traditional businesses. For these reasons, this paper proposes a methodology for assessing flexible propulsion architectures by taking into account variations in market behavior and qualification activities. Through the methodology, flexibility and qualification ability can be traded against traditional engineering attributes (such as functional performances) in a quantitative way. The use of the methodology is illustrated through an industrial case related to the study of xenon vs. krypton architectures for megaconstellation businesses. This paper provides insights on how to apply the methodology in other case studies, in order to enable engineering teams to present and communicate the impact of alternative architectural concepts to program managers and decision-makers.

scholarly journals Using Deliberative Democracy for Better Urban Decision-Making through Integrative Thinking

Urban Science ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 3
Author(s):  
Janette Hartz-Karp ◽  
Dora Marinova
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Deliberative Democracy ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Capital City ◽  
City Region ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Urban Issues ◽  
Sustainability Challenges

This article expands the evidence about integrative thinking by analyzing two case studies that applied the collaborative decision-making method of deliberative democracy which encourages representative, deliberative and influential public participation. The four-year case studies took place in Western Australia, (1) in the capital city Perth and surrounds, and (2) in the city-region of Greater Geraldton. Both aimed at resolving complex and wicked urban sustainability challenges as they arose. The analysis suggests that a new way of thinking, namely integrative thinking, emerged during the deliberations to produce operative outcomes for decision-makers. Building on theory and research demonstrating that deliberative designs lead to improved reasoning about complex issues, the two case studies show that through discourse based on deliberative norms, participants developed different mindsets, remaining open-minded, intuitive and representative of ordinary people’s basic common sense. This spontaneous appearance of integrative thinking enabled sound decision-making about complex and wicked sustainability-related urban issues. In both case studies, the participants exhibited all characteristics of integrative thinking to produce outcomes for decision-makers: salience—grasping the problems’ multiple aspects; causality—identifying multiple sources of impacts; sequencing—keeping the whole in view while focusing on specific aspects; and resolution—discovering novel ways that avoided bad choice trade-offs.

scholarly journals Closing the Virtual Gap in Health Care: A Series of Case Studies Illustrating the Impact of Embedding Evaluation Alongside System Initiatives

10.2196/25797 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (9) ◽  
pp. e25797
Author(s):  
Laura Desveaux ◽  
Suman Budhwani ◽  
Vess Stamenova ◽  
Onil Bhattacharyya ◽  
James Shaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Collaborative Problem Solving ◽  
Knowledge Mobilization ◽  
Science And Policy ◽  
Shared Purpose ◽  
Virtual Care ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Structured Communication

Early decisions relating to the implementation of virtual care relied on necessity and clinical judgement, but there is a growing need for the generation of evidence to inform policy and practice designs. The need for stronger partnerships between researchers and decision-makers is well recognized, but how these partnerships can be structured and how research can be embedded alongside existing virtual care initiatives remain unclear. We present a series of case studies that illustrate how embedded research can inform policy decisions related to the implementation of virtual care, where decisions are either to (1) discontinue (red light), (2) redesign (yellow light), or (3) scale up existing initiatives (green light). Data were collected through document review and informal interviews with key study personnel. Case 1 involved an evaluation of a mobile diabetes platform that demonstrated a mismatch between the setting and the technology (decision outcome: discontinue). Case 2 involved an evaluation of a mental health support platform that suggested evidence-based modifications to the delivery model (decision outcome: redesign). Case 3 involved an evaluation of video visits that generated evidence to inform the ideal model of implementation at scale (decision outcome: scale up). In this paper, we highlight the characteristics of the partnership and the process that enabled success and use the cases to illustrate how these characteristics were operationalized. Structured communication included monthly check-ins and iterative report development. We also outline key characteristics of the partnership (ie, trust and shared purpose) and the process (ie, timeliness, tailored reporting, and adaptability) that drove the uptake of evidence in decision-making. Across each case, the evaluation was designed to address policy questions articulated by our partners. Furthermore, structured communication provided opportunities for knowledge mobilization. Structured communication was operationalized through monthly meetings as well as the delivery of interim and final reports. These case studies demonstrate the importance of partnering with health system decision-makers to generate and mobilize scientific evidence. Embedded research partnerships founded on a shared purpose of system service provided an effective strategy to bridge the oft-cited gap between science and policy. Structured communication provided a mechanism for collaborative problem-solving and real-time feedback, and it helped contextualize emerging insights.

Linking Scientific Research to Development Agenda

2018 ◽  
pp. 374-391
Author(s):  
P. K. Kenabatho ◽  
B. P. Parida ◽  
B. Matlhodi ◽  
D.B. Moalafhi
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Scientific Community ◽  
Scientific Research ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Knowledge Generation ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Scientific Investigations ◽  
Development Agenda ◽  
The Impact

In recent years, the scientific community has been urged to undertake research that can immediately have impact on development issues, including national policies, strategies, and people's livelihoods, among others. While this is a fair call from decision makers, it should also be realized that science by nature is about innovation, discovery and knowledge generation. In this context, there is need for a balance between long term scientific investigations and short term scientific applications. With regard to the former, researchers spend years investigating (or need data of sufficient record length) to provide sound and reliable solutions to a problem at hand while in the latter, it is possible to reach a solution with few selected analyses. In all cases, it is advisable that researchers, where possible should link their studies to topical development issues in their case studies. In this paper, we use a hydrometeorological project in the Notwane catchment, Botswana, to show the importance of linking research to development agenda for mutual benefit of researchers and policy makers. The results indicate that some key development issues are being addressed by the Project and the scope exists to improve the impact of the project.

Electoral Ergonomics

2020 ◽  
pp. 240-262
Author(s):  
Michael Bruter ◽  
Sarah Harrison
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Emotional Reactions ◽  
Young Voters ◽  
Psychological Mechanisms ◽  
Empirical Logic ◽  
Electoral Choice ◽  
Different Types ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Way

This chapter focuses on electoral ergonomics, defined as the interface between every aspect of electoral organization and the psychology of the voters. It argues that every small detail in the organization of the vote (electoral ergonomics) matters not only mechanically, but also because of the way it may trigger different psychological mechanisms and emotional reactions, and that as a result, the ergonomic interface will have different effects on different types of voter, such as ‘referees’ or ‘supporters’. Indeed, electoral ergonomics affects the way citizens experience the vote, their attitudes, their likeliness to vote in elections, and their actual electoral choice. The chapter then unpacks the theoretical and empirical logic behind the influence of electoral ergonomics, both in general and through specific case studies. These case studies include the impact of the use of remote voting on electoral experience in the general population, its influence on the electoral choice of young voters, and the effect of ballot-paper design (including paper vs electronic ballots) on the electoral experience.

Regulating New Risks: Emergency Contexts, Institutional Reform and the Difficulties of Europeanisation – Case Studies from Portugal

2011 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 540-552
Author(s):  
Maria Eduarda Gonçalves
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Institutional Reform ◽  
Regulation System ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Risk Regulation ◽  
Local Conditions ◽  
Reform Implementation ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Way

The expression “risk regulation” conveys the idea of normalisation of the way in which the State deals with the problems raised by risk, through rules, institutions and procedures set up to either prevent risk or manage it once it materialises. It must be conceded, however, that there is a tension between risk regulation (understood as a means of bringing risk under control) and the fact that the emergence of new risks has persistently caused turmoil. For this reason, risk is proving to be a serious test of the State's ability to pursue the public interest when dealing with issues which are characteristically complex, both technically and socially.The European Union has responded to the BSE and GMO crises by developing a truly European risk regulation system which has been a major driver of legal and institutional reform. Implementation has been far from homogeneous across the Member States, however, my premise being that the objective of normalisation has met perhaps unexpected obstacles in Southern European countries like Portugal, raising the question of the kind of local conditions which may either favour or hinder Europeanisation processes. This paper discusses the topic based on the analysis of three case studies illustrating the way the Portuguese state has tackled environmental and public health risks, and the impact of EU law and policy on the whole question.

scholarly journals DO MATURE INNOVATION PLATFORMS MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH FOR DEVELOPMENT? A META-ANALYSIS OF CASE STUDIES

2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARC SCHUT ◽  
JEAN-JOSEPH CADILHON ◽  
MICHAEL MISIKO ◽  
IDDO DROR
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Technology Dissemination ◽  
The Impact

SUMMARYInnovation Platforms (IPs) have become a popular vehicle in agricultural research for development (AR4D). The IP promise is that integrating scientific and local knowledge results in innovations that can have impact at scale. Many studies have uncovered how IPs work in various countries, value chains and themes. The conclusion is clear: IPs generate enthusiasm and can bring together stakeholders to effectively address specific problems and achieve ‘local’ impact. However, few studies focus on ‘mature’ IPs and whether or not these achieve impact at a ‘higher’ scale: address systems trade-offs to guide decision making, focus on integration of multiple commodities, reach a large number of beneficiaries and learn from their failures. This study evaluates the impact of mature IPs in AR4D by analysing the success factors of eight case studies across three continents. Although we found pockets of IP success and impact, these were rarely achieved at scale. We therefore critically question the use of IPs as a technology dissemination and scaling mechanism in AR4D programs that aim to benefit the livelihoods of many farmers in developing countries. Nevertheless, we do find that IPs can fulfil an important role in AR4D. If the IP processes are truly demand-driven, participatory and based on collective investment and action, they have the ability to bring together committed stakeholders, and result in innovations that are technically sound, locally adapted, economically feasible for farmers, and socially, culturally and politically acceptable. Several of our cases show that if these IPs are firmly embedded in other public and private extension mechanisms and networks, they can allow the technologies or other types of innovations to scale out beyond the original IP scope, geographical focus or target audience. We see a need for more rigorous, accurate and continuous measurement of IP performance which can contribute to adaptive management of IPs, better understanding of ‘what works’ in terms of process design and facilitation, as well as to cost-benefit analysis of IPs as compared to other approaches that aim to contribute to agricultural development.

scholarly journals Development of a Sustainability Assessment Algorithm and Its Validation Using Case Studies on Cryogenic Machining

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prathamesh Bhat ◽  
Chetan Agrawal ◽  
Navneet Khanna
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Machining Processes ◽  
Entropy Weight ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Order Preference ◽  
Entropy Weight Method ◽  
Weight Method ◽  
The Impact

This work presents a comprehensive structure for evaluating the sustainability of machining processes. Industries can contribute towards developing a sustainable future by using algorithms that evaluate the sustainability of their processes. Inspired by the literature, the proposed model involves a set of metrics that are critical in evaluating the impact of a process on society, environment, and economy. The flexibility of this model allows decision-makers to use the available responses to identify the most favorable process. The entropy weight method was suggested for objectively calculating the weights of each indicator. A multi-criteria decision-making method i.e., Technique for Order Preference based on Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), was used to rank processes in the decreasing order of their sustainability. The proposed algorithm was successfully validated with case studies from the published literature. A MATLAB code was also created so that industries may expeditiously apply this method to evaluate the sustainability of machining processes.

scholarly journals On the computational cost of the set cover approach for the optimal camera placement problem and possible set-cover-inspired trade-offs for surveillance infrastructure design

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julien Kritter ◽  
Mathieu Brévilliers ◽  
Julien Lepagnot ◽  
Lhassane Idoumghar
Keyword(s):  
Real World ◽  
Computational Cost ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Set Cover ◽  
Generation Process ◽  
Camera Placement ◽  
Full Coverage ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Instance Generation ◽  
The Impact

The NP-hard minimum set cover problem (SCP) is a very typical model to use when attempting to formalise optimal camera placement (OCP) applications. In a generic form, the OCP problem relates to the positioning of individual cameras such that the overall network is able to cover a given area while meeting a set of application-specific requirements (image quality, redundancy, ...) and optimising an objective, typically minimum cost or maximum coverage. In this paper, we focus on an application called global or persistent surveillance: camera networks which ensure full coverage of a given area. As preliminary work, an instance generation framework is proposed to create OCP instances from real-world data and solve them using existing literature. The computational cost of both the instance generation process and the solving algorithms however highlights a need for more efficient methods for decision makers to use in real-world settings. In this paper, we therefore propose to review the suitability of the approach, and more specifically to question two key elements: the impact of sampling frequencies and the importance of rigid full-coverage constraints. The results allow us to quickly provide decision makers with an overview of available solutions and trade-offs.

scholarly journals Closing the Virtual Gap in Health Care: A Series of Case Studies Illustrating the Impact of Embedding Evaluation Alongside System Initiatives (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Desveaux ◽  
Suman Budhwani ◽  
Vess Stamenova ◽  
Onil Bhattacharyya ◽  
James Shaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Collaborative Problem Solving ◽  
Knowledge Mobilization ◽  
Science And Policy ◽  
Shared Purpose ◽  
Virtual Care ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Structured Communication

UNSTRUCTURED Early decisions relating to the implementation of virtual care relied on necessity and clinical judgement, but there is a growing need for the generation of evidence to inform policy and practice designs. The need for stronger partnerships between researchers and decision-makers is well recognized, but how these partnerships can be structured and how research can be embedded alongside existing virtual care initiatives remain unclear. We present a series of case studies that illustrate how embedded research can inform policy decisions related to the implementation of virtual care, where decisions are either to (1) discontinue (red light), (2) redesign (yellow light), or (3) scale up existing initiatives (green light). Data were collected through document review and informal interviews with key study personnel. Case 1 involved an evaluation of a mobile diabetes platform that demonstrated a mismatch between the setting and the technology (decision outcome: discontinue). Case 2 involved an evaluation of a mental health support platform that suggested evidence-based modifications to the delivery model (decision outcome: redesign). Case 3 involved an evaluation of video visits that generated evidence to inform the ideal model of implementation at scale (decision outcome: scale up). In this paper, we highlight the characteristics of the partnership and the process that enabled success and use the cases to illustrate how these characteristics were operationalized. Structured communication included monthly check-ins and iterative report development. We also outline key characteristics of the partnership (ie, trust and shared purpose) and the process (ie, timeliness, tailored reporting, and adaptability) that drove the uptake of evidence in decision-making. Across each case, the evaluation was designed to address policy questions articulated by our partners. Furthermore, structured communication provided opportunities for knowledge mobilization. Structured communication was operationalized through monthly meetings as well as the delivery of interim and final reports. These case studies demonstrate the importance of partnering with health system decision-makers to generate and mobilize scientific evidence. Embedded research partnerships founded on a shared purpose of system service provided an effective strategy to bridge the oft-cited gap between science and policy. Structured communication provided a mechanism for collaborative problem-solving and real-time feedback, and it helped contextualize emerging insights.

scholarly journals ‘He who helps the guilty, shares the crime’? INGOs, moral narcissism and complicity in wrongdoing

2018 ◽  
Vol 44 (5) ◽  
pp. 299-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pete Buth ◽  
Benoit de Gryse ◽  
Sean Healy ◽  
Vincent Hoedt ◽  
Tara Newell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Moral Conflict ◽  
Medecins Sans Frontieres ◽  
Pull Out ◽  
Moral Accountability ◽  
Médecins Sans Frontières ◽  
Moral Complicity ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Way

Humanitarian organisations often work alongside those responsible for serious wrongdoing. In these circumstances, accusations of moral complicity are sometimes levelled at decision makers. These accusations can carry a strong if unfocused moral charge and are frequently the source of significant moral unease. In this paper, we explore the meaning and usefulness of complicity and its relation to moral accountability. We also examine the impact of concerns about complicity on the motivation of humanitarian staff and the risk that complicity may lead to a retreat into moral narcissism. Moral narcissism is the possibility that where humanitarian actors inadvertently become implicated in wrongdoing, they may focus more on their image as self-consciously good actors than on the interests of potential beneficiaries. Moral narcissism can be triggered where accusations of complicity are made and can slew decision making. We look at three interventions by Médecins Sans Frontières that gave rise to questions of complicity. We question its decision-guiding usefulness. Drawing on recent thought, we suggest that complicity can helpfully draw attention to the presence of moral conflict and to the way International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) can be drawn into unintentional wrongdoing. We acknowledge the moral challenge that complicity presents to humanitarian staff but argue that complicity does not help INGOs make tough decisions in morally compromising situations as to whether they should continue with an intervention or pull out.

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