scholarly journals Infrastructure autopoiesis: requisite variety to engage complexity

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikhail V Chester ◽  
Braden Allenby
Keyword(s):  
Infrastructure Systems ◽  
Long Term Stability ◽  
The Core ◽  
The Past ◽  
Knowledge Processes ◽  
Requisite Variety ◽  
Horizon Scanning ◽  
The Face ◽  
Conditions Of Stability

Abstract Infrastructure systems must change to match the growing complexity of the environments they operate in. Yet the models of governance and the core technologies they rely on are structured around models of relative long-term stability that appear increasingly insufficient and even problematic. As the environments in which infrastructure function become more complex, infrastructure systems must adapt to develop a repertoire of responses sufficient to respond to the increasing variety of conditions and challenges. Whereas in the past infrastructure leadership and system design has emphasized organization strategies that primarily focus on exploitation (e.g., efficiency and production, amenable to conditions of stability), in the future they must create space for exploration, the innovation of what the organization is and does. They will need to create the abilities to maintain themselves in the face of growing complexity by creating the knowledge, processes, and technologies necessary to engage environment complexity. We refer to this capacity as infrastructure autopoiesis. In doing so infrastructure organizations should focus on four key tenets. First, a shift to sustained adaptation – perpetual change in the face of destabilizing conditions often marked by uncertainty – and away from rigid processes and technologies is necessary. Second, infrastructure organizations should pursue restructuring their bureaucracies to distribute more resources and decisionmaking capacity horizontally, across the organization’s hierarchy. Third, they should build capacity for horizon scanning, the process of systematically searching the environment for opportunities and threats. Fourth, they should emphasize loose fit design, the flexibility of assets to pivot function as the environment changes. The inability to engage with complexity can be expected to result in a decoupling between what our infrastructure systems can do and what we need them to do, and autopoietic capabilities may help close this gap by creating the conditions for a sufficient repertoire to emerge.

Risking Debt for Honor

2017 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-71
Author(s):  
Jennifer R. Cash
Keyword(s):  
Social Relations ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Urban Migration ◽  
Long Term Stability ◽  
The Past ◽  
Political Upheaval ◽  
The Social ◽  
Rural Urban Migration ◽  
The Republic

Research on godparenthood has traditionally emphasized its stabilizing effect on social structure. This article, however, focuses attention on how the practices and discourses associated with marital sponsorship in the Republic of Moldova ascribe value to the risks and uncertainties of social life. Moldova has experienced substantial economic, social, and political upheaval during the past two decades of postsocialism, following a longer period of Soviet-era modernization, secularization, and rural–urban migration. In this context, godparenthood has not contributed to the long-term stability of class structure or social relations, but people continue to seek honor and social respect by taking the social and economic risks involved in sponsoring new marriages.

The End of Family Business? The Mittelstand and German Capitalism in Transition, 1949–2000

2006 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 263-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hartmut Berghoff
Keyword(s):  
Family Business ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
German Economy ◽  
Term Stability ◽  
Long Term Stability ◽  
Sociocultural Environment ◽  
The Past ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
Modern Form

TheMittelstandsector of the German economy, which is made up of small and medium-sized family firms, is generally not mentioned in debates about German capitalism. This article makes the case that the focus of research on the German economy should shift from large corporate structures to these smaller firms. The classic Mittelstand model, which dominated the economy until about 1970, was characterized by identity of ownership and management, strong emotional investment by owners and staff, and an emphasis on continuity, paternalism, and independence. Beginning in the 1960s, this model was undermined by fundamental changes in the country's economic and sociocultural environment. In response, the firms abandoned a number of their traditional attributes, a process that led to the demise of some businesses and the regeneration of others. Although the modern form adopted by the surviving Mittelstand firms allows them to be less dependent on individual families, to enjoy more access to external capital, and to display more openness and international orientation, they can no longer rely on the prospect of long-term stability, as they did in the past.

Why History?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald Bloxham
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Cultural History ◽  
Early Christianity ◽  
Classical Antiquity ◽  
The Core ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Enlightenment ◽  
The Reformation ◽  
The Way

What is the point of history? Why has the study of the past been so important for so long? Why History? A History contemplates two and a half thousand years of historianship to establish how very different thinkers in diverse contexts have conceived their activities, and to illustrate the purposes that their historical investigations have served. At the core of this work, whether it is addressing Herodotus, medieval religious exegesis, or twentieth-century cultural history, is the way that the present has been conceived to relate to the past. Alongside many changes in technique and philosophy, Donald Bloxham’s book reveals striking long-term continuities in justifications for the discipline. The volume has chapters on classical antiquity, early Christianity, the medieval world, the period spanning the Renaissance and the Reformation, the era of the Enlightenment, the nineteenth and early twentieth century, and developments down to the present. It concludes with a meditation on the point of history today.

The End of Family Business? The Mittelstand and German Capitalism in Transition, 1949–2000

2006 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 263-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hartmut Berghoff
Keyword(s):  
Family Business ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
German Economy ◽  
Term Stability ◽  
Long Term Stability ◽  
Sociocultural Environment ◽  
The Past ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
Modern Form

TheMittelstandsector of the German economy, which is made up of small and medium-sized family firms, is generally not mentioned in debates about German capitalism. This article makes the case that the focus of research on the German economy should shift from large corporate structures to these smaller firms. The classic Mittelstand model, which dominated the economy until about 1970, was characterized by identity of ownership and management, strong emotional investment by owners and staff, and an emphasis on continuity, paternalism, and independence. Beginning in the 1960s, this model was undermined by fundamental changes in the country's economic and sociocultural environment. In response, the firms abandoned a number of their traditional attributes, a process that led to the demise of some businesses and the regeneration of others. Although the modern form adopted by the surviving Mittelstand firms allows them to be less dependent on individual families, to enjoy more access to external capital, and to display more openness and international orientation, they can no longer rely on the prospect of long-term stability, as they did in the past.

TRATAMENTO ORTO-CIRÚRGICO DE LATERO-DESVIO MANDIBULAR: RELATO DE CASO

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (40) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Magalhães de Andrade
Keyword(s):  
Orthognathic Surgery ◽  
Facial Asymmetry ◽  
Lateral Deviation ◽  
Long Term Stability ◽  
Bimaxillary Orthognathic Surgery ◽  
The Face ◽  
Facial Harmony ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Functional Problems

RESUMO  A assimetria facial é uma anomalia que ocorre entre partes homólogas da face, que pode gerar diversas alterações na harmonia facial e problemas funcionais, como dificuldade mastigatória. Essas alterações podem causar grandes prejuízos psicossociais ao indivíduo que possui esse tipo de anormalidade dentofacial. Dentre as opções terapêuticas, a que mais se destaca é a cirurgia ortognática pois produz resultados previsíveis e com boa estabilidade a longo prazo. O objetivo do presente trabalho é relatar o caso clínico de uma paciente portadora de látero-desvio mandibular e importante assimetria facial, apresentando o resultado alcançado com a cirurgia ortognática bimaxilar e discutir a literatura especializada. Palavras-chave: Cirurgia ortognática; Látero-desvio mandibular; Ortodontia.   ABSTRACT  Facial asymmetry is an abnormality that occurs between homologous parts of the face, which can generate several changes in facial harmony and functional problems, as masticatory difficulty. These changes can cause great psychosocial damage to the individual who has this type of dentofacial abnormality. Among the therapeutic options, the most common is orthognathic surgery, because produces predictable results with good long-term stability. The aim of the present study is to report the clinical case of a patient with mandibular lateral deviation and an important facial asymmetry, presenting the result achieved with bimaxillary orthognathic surgery and discuss the specialized literature. Key words: Ortognatic surgery; Mandibular lateral deviation; Orthodontics

Reoccupation and resurgence: indigenous protest camps in Canada

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam J Barker ◽  
Russell Myers Ross
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Northern Ontario ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Face

In the face of ongoing Canadian colonialism and displacement, blockading has become an important tactic through which Indigenous communities reassert their traditional forms of place-based culture and governance. This chapter will examine three important reclamation sites in Canada over the past twenty five years, ranging from the spontaneous and relatively-short lived blockades of the Oka Crisis near the Kanesatake and Kahnawake Mohawk reserves in Quebec (1990), through the long-term Anishinaabe anti-clearcutting blockade at Grassy Narrows in northern Ontario (begun in 2002), to the growing and evolving anti-pipeline reclamation site in Unist’ot’en territory, in the British Columbia interior, which began in 2009. These three sites can reveal important lessons about Indigenous resurgence and the efficacy of protest camps as reoccupations of stolen land.

scholarly journals Nanowire-Based Biosensors: From Growth to Applications

Micromachines ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 679 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pranav Ambhorkar ◽  
Zongjie Wang ◽  
Hyuongho Ko ◽  
Sangmin Lee ◽  
Kyo-in Koo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Volume Ratio ◽  
High Ionic Strength ◽  
Comprehensive Review ◽  
Biomedical Sensors ◽  
Long Term Stability ◽  
The Past ◽  
Nanowire Sensor ◽  
Working Principle ◽  
Near Future

Over the past decade, synthesized nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotube, nanoparticle, quantum dot, and nanowire, have already made breakthroughs in various fields, including biomedical sensors. Enormous surface area-to-volume ratio of the nanomaterials increases sensitivity dramatically compared with macro-sized material. Herein we present a comprehensive review about the working principle and fabrication process of nanowire sensor. Moreover, its applications for the detection of biomarker, virus, and DNA, as well as for drug discovery, are reviewed. Recent advances including self-powering, reusability, sensitivity in high ionic strength solvent, and long-term stability are surveyed and highlighted as well. Nanowire is expected to lead significant improvement of biomedical sensor in the near future.

scholarly journals Sensing Properties of Oxidized Nanostructured Silicon Surface on Vaporized Molecules

Sensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikola Baran ◽  
Hrvoje Gebavi ◽  
Lara Mikac ◽  
Davor Ristić ◽  
Marijan Gotić ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Porous Silicon ◽  
Electrochemical Etching ◽  
Ammonia Gas ◽  
Sensing Properties ◽  
Long Term Stability ◽  
The Past ◽  
Oxygen Treatment ◽  
Ambient Concentration ◽  
Potential Use

Porous silicon has been intensely studied for the past several decades and its applications were found in photovoltaics, biomedicine, and sensors. An important aspect for sensing devices is their long–term stability. One of the more prominent changes that occur with porous silicon as it is exposed to atmosphere is oxidation. In this work we study the influence of oxidation on the sensing properties of porous silicon. Porous silicon layers were prepared by electrochemical etching and oxidized in a tube furnace. We observed that electrical resistance of oxidized samples rises in response to the increasing ambient concentration of organic vapours and ammonia gas. Furthermore, we note the sensitivity is dependent on the oxygen treatment of the porous layer. This indicates that porous silicon has a potential use in sensing of organic vapours and ammonia gas when covered with an oxide layer.

scholarly journals Critical Infrastructure in Poland during the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-62
Author(s):  
Rafał Wróbel ◽  
Ilona Wróbel
Keyword(s):  
Critical Infrastructure ◽  
Protective Capacity ◽  
Infrastructure Systems ◽  
Contagious Diseases ◽  
The Face ◽  
Governmental Institutions ◽  
Polish Law ◽  
Critical Infrastructure Systems

Purpose: The paper presents the results of the review of literature and of the legal regulations in the field of the protection of critical infrastructure in Poland during the COVID-19 pandemic. The assumed main goal was to determine the requirements for protecting elements catalogued in 11 critical infrastructure systems, in the face of the risk of losing key personnel and the need to maintain continuity of critical infrastructure operations. Introduction: The first part of the paper discusses the essence and methods of identifying critical infrastructure in Poland. Further on, possible clauses were identified of an epidemic and its impact on individual critical infrastructure systems, with particular focus on the fact that if an epidemic occurs, there may be a temporary or long-term shortage of personnel essential to the business continuity of the facilities, installations and elements included in critical infrastructure. Then, the legal solutions for maintaining the operating continuity of critical infrastructure during COVID-19 implemented in 2020 were presented, pointing to legal tools aimed at ensuring the resilience of critical infrastructure by securing key resource, i.e. the employees. Methodology: Literature research and qualitative analysis were carried out of the legal acts announced in 2020 related to enhancing the resilience of critical infrastructure, and a review was carried out of the recommendations and guidelines addressed to critical infrastructure operators, which were issued in March and September of 2020. The obtained results were analysed using the following: publications, acts of the Polish law, recommendations and guidelines published on the websites of governmental institutions, interviews with independent experts. Conclusions: The first regulations on specific arrangements meant to prevent, counteract and combat COVID-19, other contagious diseases and crisis situations caused by them did not contain any provisions that would be supportive of the protective capacity of the critical infrastructure elements in Poland. The first document in this respect, RCB guidelines of 16 March 2020 have not been formalised yet in the legal system. The so-called Shield 2.0 of 31 March 2021 introduced to the 15x of the COVID-19 Act the tools for specific employers entitled to take advantage of new, previously unavailable opportunities to ensure the continuity of services. Those entitlements made it possible to change the work system or work schedule of employees, to instruct them to work overtime, as well as to refuse to grant annual leave or to cancel it. Keywords: critical infrastructure, pandemic, COVID-19, law, key personel Type of article: case study

scholarly journals TQM and HRM: An Integrated Approach to Organizational Success

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-41
Author(s):  
Bina Sharma ◽  
M. A. Rahim
Keyword(s):  
Total Quality Management ◽  
Process Management ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Competitive Advantages ◽  
Total Quality ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Statistical Process ◽  
The Core ◽  
The Past

In the past, most managers considered total quality management (TQM) philosophy very different from human resource management (HRM) philosophy because TQM focused on incremental improvements from the bottom up, whereas the HRM functions were based on a top-down approach in the organization’s hierarchy. Their understanding of the word “TQM” not only depended on process management but also on managing the process itself as in statistical process control (SPC). Therefore, the very few managers who did pay attention to quality implemented it on the floor-level of HRM activities where the core functions of the organizations were performed. The emerging thinking of HRM, however, is that TQM complements HRM functions and provides long-term competitive advantages to organizations. Supporting these ideas, this paper reflects on the past, examines the present, and proposes an integrated framework for organizations’ overall success.

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