Estimation of critical gaps and follow-up times at median uncontrolled T-intersection

The efficiency of the entire transportation system depends on the capacity of the individual elements that make up the given network. Point-type elements of the road and street network include intersections of different types. Critical gaps and follow-up times related to individual movements are important determinants of the capacity of such objects. There are many ways to estimate such times. The article discusses the assumptions and scheme one of them - the Siegloch method. The objective of the article is to analyze the process of determining critical gaps and follow-up times at the median uncontrolled T-intersections that are rare in the road and street network and have been studied to a limited extent. The commonly used HCM, HBS, and Polish (MOP SBS) methods in their current form do not consider the speci-ficity of such intersections and thus may not give reliable results. Due to their characteristics in terms of geometry conditions, there is a need for an individual approach to estimate both critical gaps and follow-up times. The article contains the results of empirical research conducted on a selected real object in the Upper Silesian agglomeration in Poland. The intersection under study is located in one of the central districts of Katowice city, in the built-up area serving commercial and service functions. The analysis of the behavior of individual drivers waiting for the possibility to continue driving was conducted separately for each minor traffic movement. The values of critical gaps and follow-up times were determined for all four subordinate movements. The values obtained are different from those contained in the Polish manual, which is recommended for use. The research should be considered as pilot studies that justify the need to develop a separate approach to the estimation of the critical gaps and follow-up times at median uncontrolled T-intersections.

SOME REMARKS ON FULFILMENT OF EMPLOYEE DUTIES AT EMPLOYEE’S HOME

The elaboration is dedicated to the problem of work performance at employee’s home. Author emphasizes that in industrial society work was in principle performed at employer’s premises. However, to a limited extent some employees could fulfil at least part of their duties at home. The technological development created broader opportunities to perform work in another location than work establishment. We should indicate telework, regulated in 2007, as well as remote work, introduced in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic by anti-crisis shield. Author argues that it would be appropriate to regulate remote work on permanent basis in the Labour Code. The essence of remote work amounts to work performance at home, i.e. in private sphere of an employee. In Author’s opinion, from theoretical point of view, work at the establishment and work at home may become equivalent options of an employment relationship

Trying out loud: Leadership development as experimentalism

Where does leadership development turn if its heroic ideals are no longer tenable? This study takes leadership practice, not the classroom, as its point of departure. Leadership studies have demonstrated the romance in leadership theory of an individual, stable, and coherent leadership figure, even if this figure does not connect to actual practices. In other streams of research, practice increasingly appears to be a resource for less presumptuous theorizing about leadership. These more situationally sensitive approaches call for equivalent leadership development practices, and extant literature in particular has escaped the confines of the executive management classroom to only a limited extent. While experiential learning has proved an efficient means of instigating and harvesting in-classroom experiences for subsequent reflection and learning, translating these experiences into (later) leadership practice has proved problematic. The mundanity of practice rarely corresponds to the theoretical exposés emanating from classrooms. Using a leadership development program (LDP) as our case, we explore accounts from managers carrying out in-practice experiments and analyze these processes in light of Dewey’s notion of experimentalism. Identifying a series of attributes associated with the experimental intervention, we illuminate some future avenues for situated leadership development as well as offer considerations for leadership development practice.

The Motif of the Angel(s) of Death in Islamic Foundational Sources as an Element of Cultural Diffusion

The article harks back to the publication entitled “The Motif of the Angel(s) of Death in Islamic Foundational Sources” (VV 38/2 [2020]), which was devoted to the analysis of the eponymous theme in the foundational sources of Islam: the Quran and the sunna of the Prophet Muhammad. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the motif of angel(s) may have been borrowed from two monotheistic traditions that came before. The verification of the thesis that the motif of the angel(s) of death underwent diffusion was carried out in several steps. First, the motif was identified in the textual traditions of Judaism and early Christianity (i.e. sets of texts that were known and, in all likelihood, widespread in the Middle East during the formative period of Islam). As a result of the analysis, most of the themes recognised in the foundational texts of Islam were found. The next step was to identify possible routes of their transmission and percolation into the Islamic tradition and to determine the “ideological demand” for the motif of the angel(s) of death in the burgeoning Islam. Although Jewish and Christian imagery and beliefs about angels are an important (if not the primary) source of influence on Muslim angelology, there was most likely a two-way interaction between the monotheistic traditions, albeit to a limited extent.

Fogyasztói magatartás vizsgálata egy új típusú turisztikai szolgáltatáson keresztül - Examining consumer behaviour through a new type of tourism service

A Covid19-világjárvány miatti szigorú korlátozások új, alternatív programok kialakítására kényszerítették rá az egyes turisztikai szolgáltatásokat. Kutatásunkban azt vizsgáltuk, hogy milyen, a fogyasztókra gyakorolt hatásokat lehet megfigyelni egy újfajta szolgáltatás esetében. Ez a szolgáltatás a „Flight to nowhere” nevet viselte, amely Magyarország határain belüli, utasszállító repülőgéppel történő légi közlekedést jelentett. Kutatásunkban a programon részt vett 130 fő kérdőíves megkérdezésével készítettünk elemzést arra vonatkozóan, hogy a résztvevők milyen élményeket éltek át a fogyasztás során, illetve hogyan értékelték a szolgáltatás teljesítményét és ajánlanák-e a programot. Vizsgáltuk még a Covid19-pandémia okozta bezártsággal kapcsolatos mentális problémák kapcsolódási pontjait is. Az eredmények azt mutatják, hogy a válaszadók jellemzően esztétikai és eszképista jellegű élményeket éltek át. Az élmény átélésének mértéke növelte a szolgáltatás teljesítményének magasabb színvonalú megítélését és a továbbajánlási szándékot. A negatív irányú érzelmek esetében, amelyek az élet folytonosságának érzetét mérték, az eszképizmus jellegű élmények megélése kismértékben enyhíteni tudta a bezártság okozta hátrányokat. Tight restrictions due to the Covid19 pandemic have forced some tourist services to new, alternative programmes. In our research, we examined what effects on consumers can be observed in respect of a new type of service. The service was named ”Flight to nowhere”, which meant air travel within the borders of Hungary. In our research we carried out an analysis of the experiences of the participants during the event by means of a questionnaire (completed by the 130 people who participated in the programme) on their evaluation of the performance of the service and on whether they would recommend the programme. We also examined the effects of the mental stress problems related to confinement caused by the Covid19 pandemic. The results that respondents typically experienced are esthetic and escapist ones. A higher level of experience increased the perception of high performance and the intention to recommend. In the case of negative emotions, which measured the sense of continuity of life, living escapist-type experiences could alleviate the disadvantages caused by confinement only to a limited extent.

Wasserverbrauch privater Haushalte in Deutschland: Eine empirische Mikroanalyse

Germany is a rather water-rich country. Nevertheless, climatic changes might make it necessary to use water resources carefully in the future, especially in times of drought. Against this background, this paper estimates the price elasticity of household water consumption, differentiating between households that have a rough knowledge of water prices and households that do not. Based on about 1,100 observations for households living in single-family houses and using the sum of cubic meter prices for water and wastewater as price measure, we find a moderate but statistically significantly non-zero price elasticity of -0.102. Households that have knowledge of water prices tend to exhibit a higher elasticity, while households without price knowledge do not show a statistically significant response in their water consumption. Prices can thus only be used to a limited extent as a means of controlling water consumption.

Scandinavian/Rus’ Captives and Slave Soldiers: an Eastern Perspective

During the Viking Age (c. AD 750–1050), the Rus’, an inclusive group of warrior-merchants of mainly Scandinavian origin – owning and trading slaves – were active in the East (in this case the eastern Baltic region, European Russia, Belarus, the Ukraine, the Black Sea region, Byzantium, the Caucasus, and beyond). There are several written accounts of Rus’ taken captive in the East during the Viking Age, including information about some of them ending up as slaves. This article will examine different fates of Rus’ captives in these areas, on the basis of contemporary Byzantine, Muslim – and to a limited extent – later Old Slavic and Old Norse written accounts. The sources reveal that the captured Scandinavian/Rus’ warriors often were victims of a special type of subjugation: ‘slave soldiery’. This status will be contrasted to other types of militarily subordination to illuminate the relative social standings of such warrior groups in the East.

Examining the Adoption and Use of Graphic Novels as a Learning Resource in Hamilton Schools

<p>Graphic novels have grown in popularity during last 20 years. A growing band of supporters are advocating for graphic novels to be used in both public libraries and schools. However, research into this area in New Zealand is limited. This study investigated the current situation by exploring how Hamilton teachers and school librarians were utilising graphic novels and their experiences during these activities. A qualitative approach of semi-structured interviews with volunteer participants was chosen in order to solicit rich information on the phenomenon. The study found the use of graphic novels in schools was an emerging phenomenon and the format was being used to a limited extent. However, both teachers and librarians felt they were a successful learning tool with many benefits for students. These included increased enthusiasm and engagement from students, in particular boys and reluctant readers, a focus on visual literacy skills, and connections with popular culture. All participants recommended graphic novels have a place in schools in the future, highlighting the potential they have as a legitimate learning resource. This study recommends graphic novels continue to be used in schools or be adopted by those schools without them. It also recommends schools select a wide range of graphic novel genres in order to cater to the needs of the variety of students identified as responding positively to the format.</p>

Examining the Adoption and Use of Graphic Novels as a Learning Resource in Hamilton Schools

<p>Graphic novels have grown in popularity during last 20 years. A growing band of supporters are advocating for graphic novels to be used in both public libraries and schools. However, research into this area in New Zealand is limited. This study investigated the current situation by exploring how Hamilton teachers and school librarians were utilising graphic novels and their experiences during these activities. A qualitative approach of semi-structured interviews with volunteer participants was chosen in order to solicit rich information on the phenomenon. The study found the use of graphic novels in schools was an emerging phenomenon and the format was being used to a limited extent. However, both teachers and librarians felt they were a successful learning tool with many benefits for students. These included increased enthusiasm and engagement from students, in particular boys and reluctant readers, a focus on visual literacy skills, and connections with popular culture. All participants recommended graphic novels have a place in schools in the future, highlighting the potential they have as a legitimate learning resource. This study recommends graphic novels continue to be used in schools or be adopted by those schools without them. It also recommends schools select a wide range of graphic novel genres in order to cater to the needs of the variety of students identified as responding positively to the format.</p>

Workshop Safety and Uncertainty

Uncertainties have a significant influence on the assessment and evaluation of the safety of a repository system for high-level radioactive waste. Significant reasons for uncertainties concerning the safety barriers of a repository are: Conducting experiments on the long-term behaviour of the repository in real time is impossible due to the long assessment period over which the repository is supposed to ensure safety. The extrapolation of results from time-limited experiments, e.g. on the corrosion of container materials, to other temporal dimensions is associated with uncertainties. Uncertainties also stem from differences between experimental situations, e.g. laboratory experiments, and the real conditions in the repository. The interpretation of empirical results can be ambiguous and therefore associated with uncertainties. The development of future impacts on the barriers can only be predicted to a limited extent. Therefore, the future behaviour of the barriers can only be extrapolated into the future to a limited extent on the basis of experience gained in the past and uncertainties remain. The construction and operation of the repository will disturb its natural environment. The geological environment in which the repository is embedded behaves differently from a natural geological system, which in turn is associated with uncertainties. A major source of uncertainties is also the natural inhomogeneity of the geological barrier, which can only be investigated on a sample basis. During excavation and other construction work underground, unforeseen situations are to be expected, which make it necessary to act situationally. The complexity of the disposal path where decisions are interlinked, creates further uncertainties. Last but not least, it is uncertain what further findings on the safety of the repository will be obtained in the future along the disposal path. For safety studies, especially studies on the long-term safety of repository systems, methods and conventions for dealing with uncertainties have become established internationally. In the site selection process, these methods and conventions are questioned and, if necessary, must be further developed so that they ultimately also convince the interested public and scientists from other disciplines. In the workshop, uncertainties will be examined in particular from the perspectives of a civil engineer and of a materials researcher with introductory presentations. This will be followed by a moderated discussion. The workshop will focus on the preliminary safety investigations; however, the discussion can also refer to later phases of the disposal path. The aim of the discussion is to arrive at a common synthesis: Where have good practices for dealing with uncertainties already been established? Where is there still a need for research and clarification? What needs to be considered in the dialogue with the interested public?