scholarly journals The Rating Game: The Discipline of Uber’s User-Generated Ratings

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 183-190
Author(s):  
Ngai Keung Chan
Keyword(s):  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Rating System ◽  
Work Practices ◽  
Rating Systems ◽  
Labor Management ◽  
Disciplinary Power ◽  
On Demand ◽  
Depth Interviews

On-demand labor platforms are built around user-generated rating systems that entail consumers’ monitoring of workers as a tool for algorithmic labor management. The user-generated ratings can directly determine workers’ employability. Workers are thus under pressure to score well, though they may lack knowledge about the performance metrics. Using in-depth interviews with Uber drivers, this article examines how Uber’s rating system as an engine of anxiety shapes drivers’ work practices through processes of surveillance and normalization. Specifically, drivers are prompted to play the rating game, a game that pressures them toward the normalization of platform surveillance and self-discipline for maximizing their ratings. The internalization of ratings is channeled through drivers’ reactive practices in the rating game—that is, drivers’ modification of their behavior in response to being evaluated and monitored. This article considers the socio-technical conditions under which drivers are subject to the platform surveillance and disciplinary power.

scholarly journals A qualitative study to identify critical attributes and attribute-levels for a discrete choice experiment on oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) delivery among young people in Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Janan J. Dietrich ◽  
Millicent Atujuna ◽  
Gugulethu Tshabalala ◽  
Stefanie Hornschuh ◽  
Mamakiri Mulaudzi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Young People ◽  
User Preferences ◽  
Dosing Regimen ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
On Demand ◽  
Study Team ◽  
Attribute Levels ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Oral Prep

Abstract Background The uptake and adherence of daily oral PrEP has been poor in high-risk populations in South Africa including young people. We used qualitative research methods to explore user preferences for daily and on-demand oral PrEP use among young South Africans, and to inform the identification of critical attributes and attribute-levels for quantitative analysis of user preferences, i.e. a discrete choice experiment (DCE). Methods Data were collected between September and November 2018 from eight group discussions and 20 in-depth interviews with young people 13 to 24 years in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Using a convenience sampling strategy, participants were stratified by sex and age. Interviewers used a semi-structured interview guide to discuss several attributes (dosing regimen, location, costs, side effects, and protection period) for PrEP access and use. Group discussions and in-depth interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and translated to English. We used framework analysis to explore context-specific attributes and attribute-levels for delivering oral PrEP in South Africa. The adolescent community advisory board, expert and study team opinions were consulted for the final DCE attributes and levels. Results We enrolled 74 participants who were 51% (n = 38/74) male, had a median age of 18.5 [Interquartile range = 16–21.25] years, 91% (n = 67/74) identified as heterosexual and 49% (n = 36/74) had not completed 12th grade education. Using the qualitative data, we identified five candidate attributes including (1) dosing regimen, (2) location to get PrEP, (3) cost, (4) route of administration and (5) frequency. After discussions with experts and the study team, we revised the DCE to include the following five attributes and levels: dosing regime: daily, and on-demand PrEP; location: private pharmacy, public clinic, mobile clinic, ATM); cost: free-of-charge, R50 (~2GBP), R265 (~12GBP); side effects: nausea, headache, rash; and duration of protection: fulltime protection versus when PrEP is used). Conclusions There is limited literature on qualitative research methods describing the step-by-step process of developing a DCE for PrEP in adolescents, especially in resource-constrained countries. We provide the process followed for the DCE technique to understand user preferences for daily and on-demand oral PrEP among young people in South Africa.

scholarly journals Estidama and the Pearl Rating System: A Comprehensive Review and Alignment with LCA

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 5041
Author(s):  
Ayyagari Ramani ◽  
Borja García de Soto
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Rating System ◽  
Practical Relevance ◽  
Rating Systems ◽  
Sustainable Buildings ◽  
System A ◽  
Robust Implementation ◽  
New Construction ◽  
Main Components ◽  
Sustainability Standards

Multiple sustainability standards and rating systems have been developed to draw attention to constructing sustainable buildings. The Pearl Rating System (PRS) is a mandate for all new construction projects in Abu Dhabi. Hence, it is important to understand the main components, advantages, and limitations of the PRS. The feasibility and the practical relevance of the PRS are still being studied. This paper addresses this gap and critically evaluates the PRS against some of the well-established rating systems like LEED and BREEAM. The analysis suggests that the PRS considers the cultural aspect of sustainability, in addition to the environmental, societal, and economic aspects. It was also found that most rating systems, including the PRS, have a very superficial inclusion of life cycle assessment (LCA). The paper finally concludes with other observations and outlook for a more robust implementation of the PRS.

On-Demand Public Transit: A Markovian Continuous Approximation Model

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel F. Silva ◽  
Alexander Vinel ◽  
Bekircan Kirkici
Keyword(s):  
System Performance ◽  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Public Transit ◽  
Continuous Approximation ◽  
Efficient Operation ◽  
Fleet Sizing ◽  
On Demand ◽  
Single Vehicle ◽  
Transit Agencies ◽  
Using Data

With recent advances in mobile technology, public transit agencies around the world have started actively experimenting with new transportation modes, many of which can be characterized as on-demand public transit. Design and efficient operation of such systems can be particularly challenging, because they often need to carefully balance demand volume with resource availability. We propose a family of models for on-demand public transit that combine a continuous approximation methodology with a Markov process. Our goal is to develop a tractable method to evaluate and predict system performance, specifically focusing on obtaining the probability distribution of performance metrics. This information can then be used in capital planning, such as fleet sizing, contracting, and driver scheduling, among other things. We present the analytical solution for a stylized single-vehicle model of first-mile operation. Then, we describe several extensions to the base model, including two approaches for the multivehicle case. We use computational experiments to illustrate the effects of the inputs on the performance metrics and to compare different modes of transit. Finally, we include a case study, using data collected from a real-world pilot on-demand public transit project in a major U.S. metropolitan area, to showcase how the proposed model can be used to predict system performance and support decision making.

scholarly journals ‘If the Food Looks Dodgy I Dinnae Eat It’: Teenagers’ Accounts of Food and Eating Practices in Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Families

2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy Wills ◽  
Kathryn Backett-Milburn ◽  
Sue Gregory ◽  
Julia Lawton
Keyword(s):  
Economically Disadvantaged ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Family Meals ◽  
Personal Relationships ◽  
On Demand ◽  
Consumption Choices ◽  
Eating Practices ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Disadvantaged Families

This paper examines how young teenagers living in socio-economically disadvantaged families perceive everyday food and eating practices within the home. From in-depth interviews with 36 Scottish teenagers aged 13-14 years, we analysed teenagers’ accounts of contemporary ‘family meals’. We found that food and eating practices were negotiated amidst complex family arrangements with extended, resident and non-resident kin. Parents were often reported to provide food ‘on demand’, a flexible arrangement which seemed to reflect both teenagers’ and parents’ lifestyles and personal relationships. Teenagers often contested the consumption of particular foods which sometimes reflected and reinforced their relationship with a biological or non-biological parent. Teenagers could differentiate themselves from others through their food preferences and tastes and food consumption therefore helped shaped their identity. Many teenagers claimed that parents set rules regarding food and eating, thereby creating boundaries within which their consumption choices had to remain. We discuss whether and how these findings are a reflection of the socio-economic status of the participating families and conclude that exploring food and eating practices is a powerful lens for the examination of family life.

scholarly journals Abstract ACO-EEAODR: An Ant-Swarm Inspired Energy-Efficient Ad Hoc On-Demand Routing Protocol for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Waqas Shah
Keyword(s):  
Network Lifetime ◽  
Routing Protocol ◽  
Energy Efficient ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Minimum Energy ◽  
Sustainable Growth ◽  
Energy Aware ◽  
On Demand ◽  
Demand Routing

As the world’s economic activities are expanding, the energy comes to the fore to the question of the sustainable growth in all technological areas, including wireless mobile networking. Energyaware routing schemes for wireless networks have spurred a great deal of recent research towards achieving this goal. Recently, an energy-aware routing protocol for MANETs (so-called energy-efficient ad hoc on-demand routing protocol (EEAODR) for MANETs was proposed, in which the energy load among nodes is balanced so that a minimum energy level is maintained and the resulting network lifetime is increased. In this paper, an Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) inspired approach to EEAODR (ACO-EEAODR) is proposed. To the best of our knowledge, no attempts have been made so far in this direction. Simulation results are provided, demonstrating that the ACO-EEAODR outperforms the EEAODR scheme in terms of energy consumed and network lifetime, chosen as performance metrics.

scholarly journals Analysis and Control of Autonomous Mobility-on-Demand Systems

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gioele Zardini ◽  
Nicolas Lanzetti ◽  
Marco Pavone ◽  
Emilio Frazzoli
Keyword(s):  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Transportation Systems ◽  
Demand Systems ◽  
Annual Review ◽  
Publication Date ◽  
Systematic Analysis ◽  
On Demand ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Autonomous Mobility ◽  
And Control

Challenged by urbanization and increasing travel needs, existing transportation systems need new mobility paradigms. In this article, we present the emerging concept of autonomous mobility-on-demand, whereby centrally orchestrated fleets of autonomous vehicles provide mobility service to customers. We provide a comprehensive review of methods and tools to model and solve problems related to autonomous mobility-on-demand systems. Specifically, we first identify problem settings for their analysis and control, from both operational and planning perspectives. We then review modeling aspects, including transportation networks, transportation demand, congestion, operational constraints, and interactions with existing infrastructure. Thereafter, we provide a systematic analysis of existing solution methods and performance metrics, highlighting trends and trade-offs. Finally, we present various directions for further research. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Control, Robotics, and Autonomous Systems, Volume 5 is May 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

scholarly journals Designing Informative Rating Systems: Evidence from an Online Labor Market

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikhil Garg ◽  
Ramesh Johari
Keyword(s):  
Labor Market ◽  
Rating Scales ◽  
Problem Definition ◽  
Rating System ◽  
Rating Systems ◽  
Market Participants ◽  
Model Based ◽  
Treatment Conditions ◽  
Online Labor

Problem definition: Platforms critically rely on rating systems to learn the quality of market participants. In practice, however, ratings are often highly inflated and therefore, not very informative. In this paper, we first investigate whether the platform can obtain less inflated, more informative ratings by altering the meaning and relative importance of the levels in the rating system. Second, we seek a principled approach for the platform to make these choices in the design of the rating system. Academic/practical relevance: Platforms critically rely on rating systems to learn the quality of market participants, and so, ensuring these ratings are informative is of first-order importance. Methodology: We analyze the results of a randomized, controlled trial on an online labor market in which an additional question was added to the feedback form. Between treatment conditions, we vary the question phrasing and answer choices; in particular, the treatment conditions include several positive-skewed verbal rating scales with descriptive phrases or adjectives providing specific interpretation for each rating level. We then develop a model-based framework to compare and select among rating system designs and apply this framework to the data obtained from the online labor market test. Results: Our test reveals that current inflationary norms can be countered by reanchoring the meaning of the levels of the rating system. In particular, positive-skewed verbal rating scales yield substantially deflated rating distributions that are much more informative about seller quality. Further, we demonstrate that our model-based framework for scale design and optimization can identify the most informative rating system and substantially improve the quality of information obtained over baseline designs. Managerial implications: Our study illustrates that practical, informative rating systems can be designed and demonstrates how to compare and design them in a principled manner.

scholarly journals COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SUSTAINABILITY RATING SYSTEMS

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oluwatobi Oluwalaiye ◽  
Mehmet E. Ozbek
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
New York State ◽  
Triple Bottom Line ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Rating System ◽  
Rating Systems ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Environmental Aspect ◽  
Transportation Sustainability

The construction industry contributes a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions to the environment. This highlights the need for this industry to implement sustainable practices to mitigate its negative effects. Sustainability in the construction industry involves considering project development in terms of economic, social, and environmental aspects (triple bottom line). In the transportation sector of the construction industry, several transportation sustainability rating systems (TSRS) have been developed to measure and promote sustainability. However, studies show that these TSRS have not been developed within a consistent “sustainability scope”. This raises the question of the consistency of these TSRS in measuring sustainability of transportation projects. This study assesses three prominent TSRS to determine how each measures sustainability with respect to the triple bottom line. The TSRS that are in the scope of this study are: (i) Envision-a third-party rating system, (ii) INVEST-a self-assessed rating and, (iii) GreenLITES-an in-house developed self-assessed rating system for the New York State DOT. Results show that while these three rating systems provide different levels of credits/points with respect to the triple bottom line, they all place the highest focus on the environmental aspect.

scholarly journals A qualitative study to identify critical attributes and attribute-levels for a Discrete Choice Experiment on oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) delivery among young people in Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janan Janine Dietrich ◽  
Millicent Atujuna ◽  
Gugulethu Tshabalala ◽  
Stefanie Hornschuh ◽  
Mamakiri Mulaudzi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Young People ◽  
Choice Experiment ◽  
User Preferences ◽  
Dosing Regimen ◽  
On Demand ◽  
Study Team ◽  
Attribute Levels ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Oral Prep

Abstract Background The uptake and adherence of daily oral PrEP has been poor in high-risk populations in South Africa including young people. We used qualitative research methods to explore user preferences for daily and on-demand oral PrEP use among young South Africans, and to inform the identification of critical attributes and attribute-levels for quantitative analysis of user preferences, i.e. a discrete choice experiment (DCE). MethodsData were collected between September and November 2018 from eight group discussions and 20 in-depth interviews with young people 13 to 24 years in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Using a convenience sampling strategy, participants were stratified by sex and age. Interviewers used a semi-structured interview guide to discuss several attributes (dosing regimen, location, costs, side effects, and protection period) for PrEP access and use. Groups discussions and in-depth interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and translated to English. We used framework analysis to explore context-specific attributes and attribute-levels for delivering oral PrEP in South Africa. The adolescent community advisory board, expert and study team opinions were consulted for the final DCE attributes and levels. ResultsWe enrolled 74 participants who were 51% (n=38/74) male, had a median age of 18.5 [Interquartile range=16-21.25] years, 91% (n=67/74) identified as heterosexual and 49% (n=36/74) had not completed 12th grade education. Using the qualitative data, we identified five candidate attributes including (1) dosing regimen, (2) location to get PrEP, (3) cost, (4) route of administration and (5) frequency. After discussions with experts and the study team, we revised the DCE to include the following five attributes and levels: dosing regime: daily, and on-demand PrEP; location: private pharmacy, public clinic, mobile clinic, ATM); cost: free-of-charge, R50 (~2GBP), R265 (~12GBP); side effects: nausea, headache, rash; and duration of protection: fulltime protection versus when PrEP is used). ConclusionsThere is limited literature on qualitative research methods describing the step-by-step process of developing a DCE for PrEP in adolescents, especially in resource-constrained countries. We provide the process followed for the DCE technique to understand user preferences for daily and on-demand oral PrEP among young people in South Africa.

Performing Numbers

2020 ◽  
pp. 241-259
Author(s):  
Robert Prey
Keyword(s):  
Everyday Life ◽  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Self Presentation ◽  
Artistic Creation ◽  
Personal Experiences ◽  
Self Knowledge ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Insight Into

This chapter explores the implications of performance metrics as a source of self-knowledge and self-presentation. It does so through the figure of the contemporary musician. As performers on-stage and online, musicians are constantly assessed and evaluated by industry actors, peers, music fans, and themselves. The impact of powerful modes of quantification on personal experiences, understandings, and practices of artistic creation provides insight into the wider role that metrics play in shaping how we see ourselves and others; and how we present ourselves to others. Through in-depth interviews with emerging musicians, this chapter thus uses the artist as a lens through which to understand everyday life within the “performance complex.”

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