Toward a Conceptualization of Organizational Modularity

Author(s):  
Ayberk Soyer ◽  
Umut Asan ◽  
Özgür Utkan Eriş

Organizations are complex systems made up of many different elements interacting with each other. One particular form of organizational design, emerging from the need to deal with organizational complexity and environmental uncertainty, is modularity. There are several studies in the literature dealing with organizational modularity. However, neither a common definition nor a complete measurement model is proposed for this concept. What are the common properties of an organization characterized as highly modular? How are these properties related to organizational design parameters? None of these questions have been adequately addressed in the literature. Thus, this chapter aims to identify the common properties of an organization which can be considered to be highly modular and to propose a theoretical conceptualization of organizational modularity based on a framework originally linking Baldwin and Clark's visible design rules with Mintzberg's organizational design parameters and provides a suggestion for operationalizing the concept of organizational modularity.

Author(s):  
Avtandil kyzy Ya

Abstract: This paper highlights similarities and different features of the category of kinesics “hand gestures”, its frequency usage and acceptance by different individuals in two different cultures. This study shows its similarities, differences and importance of the gestures, for people in both cultures. Consequently, kinesics study was mentioned as a main part of body language. As indicated in the article, the study kinesics was not presented in the Kyrgyz culture well enough, though Kyrgyz people use hand gestures a lot in their everyday life. The research paper begins with the common definition of hand gestures as a part of body language, several handshake categories like: the finger squeeze, the limp fish, the two-handed handshake were explained by several statements in the English and Kyrgyz languages. Furthermore, this article includes definitions and some idioms containing hand, shake, squeeze according to the Oxford and Academic Dictionary to show readers the figurative meanings of these common words. The current study was based on the books of writers Allan and Barbara Pease “The definite book of body language” 2004, Romana Lefevre “Rude hand gestures of the world”2011 etc. Key words: kinesics, body language, gestures, acoustics, applause, paralanguage, non-verbal communication, finger squeeze, perceptions, facial expressions. Аннотация. Бул макалада вербалдык эмес сүйлѳшүүнүн бѳлүгү болуп эсептелген “колдордун жандоо кыймылы”, алардын эки башка маданиятта колдонулушу, айырмачылыгы жана окшош жактары каралган. Макаланын максаты болуп “колдордун жандоо кыймылынын” мааниси, айырмасы жана эки маданиятта колдонулушу эсептелет. Ошону менен бирге, вербалдык эмес сүйлѳшүүнүн бѳлүгү болуп эсептелген “кинесика” илими каралган. Берилген макалада кѳрсѳтүлгѳндѳй, “кинесика” илими кыргыз маданиятында толугу менен изилденген эмес, ошого карабастан “кинесика” илиминин бѳлүгү болуп эсептелген “колдордун жандоо кыймылы” кыргыз элинин маданиятында кѳп колдонулат. Андан тышкары, “колдордун жандоо кыймылынын” бир нече түрү, англис жана кыргыз тилдеринде ма- селен аркылуу берилген.Тѳмѳнкү изилдѳѳ ишин жазууда чет элдик жазуучулардын эмгектери колдонулду. Түйүндүү сѳздѳр: кинесика, жандоо кыймылы, акустика,кол чабуулар, паралингвистика, вербалдык эмес баарлашуу,кол кысуу,кабыл алуу сезими. Аннотация. В данной статье рассматриваются сходства и различия “жестикуляции” и частота ее использования, в американской и кыргызской культурах. Следовательно, здесь было упомянуто понятие “кинесика” как основная часть языка тела. Как указано в статье, “кинесика” не была представлена в кыргызской культуре достаточно хорошо, хотя кыргызский народ часто использует жестикуляцию в повседневной жизни. Исследовательская работа начинается с общего определения “жестикуляции” как части языка тела и несколько категорий жестикуляции, таких как: сжатие пальца, слабое рукопожатие, рукопожатие двумя руками, были объяснены несколькими примерами на английском и кыргызском языках. Кроме того, эта статья включает определения слов “рука”, “рукопожатие”, “сжатие” и некоторые идиомы, содержащие данных слов согласно Оксфордскому и Академическому словарю, чтобы показать читателям их образное значение. Данное исследование было основано на книгах писателей Аллана и Барбары Пиз «Определенная книга языка тела» 2004 года, Романа Лефевра «Грубые жестикуляции мира» 2011 года и т.д. Ключевые слова: кинесика, язык жестов, жесты, акустика, аплодисменты, паралингвистика, невербальная коммуникация, сжатие пальца, чувство восприятия, выражение лиц.


2006 ◽  
Vol 321-323 ◽  
pp. 497-500
Author(s):  
Hak Joon Kim ◽  
Sung Jin Song ◽  
Lester W. Schmerr

For the proper interpretation of ultrasonic measurement results from a side-drilled hole (SDH) using a rectangular transducer, it is very helpful to have a complete ultrasonic measurement model. A highly efficient ultrasonic beam model of a rectangular transducer and an accurate scattering model of a SDH are currently available. However, to develop such a complete measurement model, a reference model for the system efficiency factor is also needed. In this study a reference model suitable for a rectangular transducer is given and combined with existing models to develop a complete ultrasonic measurement model that can the predict ultrasonic signals from a SDH. Based on this model, we have calculated the ultrasonic signals from a SDH at different transducer orientations and compared the model-based predictions with experiments.


2002 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lening Zhang ◽  
John W. Welte ◽  
William F. Wieczorek

The Buffalo Longitudinal Study of Young Men was used to address the possibility of a common factor underlying adolescent problem behaviors. First, a measurement model with a single first-order factor was compared to a model with three separate correlated first-order factors. The three-factor model was better supported, making it logical to conduct a second-order factor analysis, which confirmed the logic. Second, a substantive model was estimated in each of two waves with psychopathic state as the common factor predicting drinking, drug use, and delinquency. Psychopathic state was stable across waves. The theory that a single latent variable accounts for large covariance among adolescent problem behaviors was supported.


2007 ◽  
Vol 17 (03) ◽  
pp. 299-309
Author(s):  
GRZEGORZ DRZADZEWSKI ◽  
MARK WINEBERG

The common definition for robust solutions considers a solution robust if it remains optimal when the parameters defining the fitness function are perturbed. A second definition that can be found in the literature: robustness occurs when a solution can be varied spatially without a significant drop in fitness. We propose an alternative operational definition for spatial robustness: both the solution and the neighbourhood around the solution has fitness above a given threshold. With this new definition, we created a set of functions with useful properties to allow for the testing of solution robustness. The performance of a Genetic Algorithm (GA) is then evaluated based on its ability to identify multiple robust solutions based on the above robustness definition. Different neighbourhood evaluation schemes are identified from the literature and compared, with the minimum neighbour technique proving to be the most effective.


Author(s):  
Farley Simon Nobre ◽  
Andrew M. Tobias ◽  
David S. Walker

Chapter III introduces definitions, premises, and propositions towards a theory of organizational cognition. It proposes principles about organizational cognition and thus it clearly distinguishes organizational cognition from the concept of organizational learning. It outlines the concept of hierarchic levels of cognition in organizational systems and thus it proposes cognition as an important element of the organization. It presents new definitions on organizations, environment along with the relations between them through cognitive perspectives. Such definitions include concepts of intelligence, cognition, autonomy, and complexity for organizations. It derives a definition of environmental complexity and it proceeds by introducing propositions about the relations between organizational complexity and environmental complexity. While the former is synonymous with organizational cognition, the latter is synonymous with environmental uncertainty.


2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (10) ◽  
pp. 1090-1114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antônio Márcio Tavares Thomé ◽  
Rui Sousa

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose that the effectiveness of organizational design-manufacturing integration (ODMI) practices is contingent upon the degree of complexity of the manufacturing environment. The paper submits that the level of use of ODMI ought to match the level of complexity of the manufacturing environment. The paper puts forward the hypothesis that when a misfit occurs between ODMI and complexity (high use of ODMI practices in low complexity environments or low use of ODMI practices in high complexity environments) manufacturing operational performance declines. Design/methodology/approach The paper tests the hypothesis based on a survey database of 725 manufacturers from 21 countries. The measurement model was assessed with confirmatory factor analysis and the hypothesis was tested with linear regression. Findings A misfit between the level of ODMI use (job rotation and co-location) and manufacturing complexity (product and process complexity) has a negative effect on manufacturing operational performance dimensions of quality, delivery and flexibility. Post hoc analyses also suggest that firms that operate in different environments in what concerns the rate of change in process technologies suffer differentiated negative impacts of ODMI-complexity misfit. Research limitations/implications Future studies could extend this research to other dimensions of design-manufacturing integration, such as technological practices. Practical implications Manufacturers with high levels of complexity should invest strongly in ODMI practices. However, manufacturers with low levels of complexity should invest in these practices with caution since the expected payoffs may not outweigh the effort. Originality/value The study assesses fit as a simultaneous set of contingency factors, applying profile-deviation analysis to ODMI and operational performance relationships. By focusing on plant-level manufacturing complexity, this study complements existing studies of product development complexity which tend to focus on project-level complexity.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (05) ◽  
pp. 1950079 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trailokya Nath Sasamal ◽  
Ashutosh Kumar Singh ◽  
Umesh Ghanekar

Quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) is one of the promising technologies that enable nanoscale circuit design with high performance and low-power consumption features. As memory cell and flip-flops are rudimentary for most of the digital circuits, having a high speed, and a less complex memory cell is significantly important. This paper presents novel architecture of D flip-flops and memory cell using a recently proposed five-input majority gate in QCA technology and simulated by QCADesigner tool version 2.0.3. The simulation results show that the proposed D flip-flops and the memory cell are more superior to the existing designs by considering the common design parameters. The proposed RAM cell spreads over an area of 0.12[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m2and delay of 1.5 clock cycles. The proposed level-triggered, positive/negative edge-triggered, and dual edge-triggered D flip-flop uses 14%, 33%, and 21% less area, whereas the latency is 40%, 27%, and 25% less when compared to the previous best design. In addition, all the proposed designs are implemented in a single layer QCA and do not require any single or multilayer wire crossing.


Author(s):  
Hal W. Hendrick

The Sociotechnical model of organizational complexity is described, including its implications for organizational design, based on the Macroergonomic Analysis of Structure method. The nature of cognitive complexity and the relationship of employee complexity to organizational complexity are summarized, including stratified systems theory and empirical examples from the author's consulting and research.


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