The Layers of Life

Chapter 6 summarizes the work described in the book. It places Environmental Biodynamics in context of the broader field of general systems theory. It argues that to realize the full potential of Environmental Biodynamics, environmental medicine must refocus the examination of the interaction of environment and health from an emphasis on measuring physiological “moments” (i.e., static measures of environmental factors, infrequent anthropometry, momentary health indicators) to studying dynamic human–environment interfaces, physiological states, and the processes that constrain to those states. To this end, Chapter 6 provides a set of endeavors that must be undertaken to capitalize on and formally test the biodynamic interface paradigm. First, focus scientific inquiry on interfaces that connect biological and environmental systems; second, develop theoretical frameworks that focus on the identification and interpretation of constraints in biological–environmental interfaces; and third, develop laboratory, clinical, and epidemiological methods to relate the complexity characterized at the level of biodynamic interfaces to human health.

Adaptive Structures and Biomimetic Robots – A Perspective

This paper gives an overview of some recent full-scale demonstrations of morphing devices capable of providing innovative capabilities to general systems in changing shape and improving performance significantly during operations. In aeronautics, large progress has been observed over the last few years, meaning that this technology is rapidly transitioning from laboratory scale to high TRL demonstrators. The most advanced concepts already proved to withstand loads with minimal deformation while having the capability to change their geometry to attain additional benefits with respect to their original mission. In the same way, robotics has become one of the most prominent technological trends of the current century. The rapid increase in their use and development has significantly changed our society by gradually replacing a large share of human jobs. Such an evolution is also rapidly accelerating, as technological advances in automation, engineering, artificial intelligence, and machine learning converge. Since both domains involve the integration of actuators, sensors and controllers and face integrity challenges in harsh environments, they may be seen somehow related and probably share a common future. In this article, the authors propose an original view of a possible future scenario that is likely to consider a unique development path for research on adaptive structures and robotics.

Toward an Organizational Theory of Resilience: An Interim Struggle

While organizational resilience is widely considered as critical to sustainability, gaps in both the scholarly and professional literature exist. First, stronger conceptualization of the term is needed. Second, little is known about how organizational resilience can be continuously accomplished via daily practices and processes. Finally, the ongoing organization theory development does not sufficiently address these gaps. Contributing to the literature by filling in these fundamental gaps, the present study integrates the disconnectedly growing literature into an organizational theory of resilience. Based on the General Systems Theory, the resulting theory comprises inputs of human resources, socio-cultural values, institutional settings, and social and environmental issues, enabling organizational structure, value and belief subsystem, resilience mindset, sustainability practices, adaptive and buffering capacities, and sustainability performance as the output. Their dynamic relationships are discussed and expressed via a model and propositions, followed by implications for researchers and practitioners.

The Marketing System of Exchange Between Regulatory and Political Entrepreneurs Engaging in Arbitrage

After receiving cease and desist letters in 2018, Bird strategically developed hospitable relationships with politicians that allowed the scooter-sharing firm to continue operating. Bird acts as a regulatory entrepreneur in seeking unfair legal treatment and the politicians brokering the legal deal as political entrepreneurs. The business models for unfairly changing or applying law represents entrepreneurial arbitrage. A mixed methods approach examines the structure of relationships between regulatory and political entrepreneurs through the Bootleggers and Baptists conceptual lens. Like Bird solving traffic and pollution problems for city leaders, Baptists served as a moral cover for illegal liquor vendors. Guided by a general systems theory, it is found that the micro-level, relational exchanges both assign value to as well as uses intellectual commodities to establish expectations guiding ongoing exchanges. Therefore, a marketing system is uncovered. This research also finds relationships structured by favors in sharp contrast to political markets governed by threats.

Regularization algorithm and its implementation in general systems theory and its implications in physics

In recent years a new physics known as complexity has emerged, whose fundamental structure is based on the general theory of systems or the so-called mathematical biology. There, problems arise with a large number of variables on which decisions must be made, and it is important to have selection techniques that are robust and efficient, In this research work, a couple of techniques are presented that will serve the aforementioned purpose; these are: the Lasso regularized linear regression technique and the Ridge regression technique, the latter with the slight difference in the penalty, since it makes use of a different rule than the Euclidean one, which implies very different consequences. One of these techniques was applied in a clinical problem and corresponds to the study of patients with diabetes. With this objective, the algorithm of descent of coordinates was implemented for the type of regularization loop and the analytical solution of regression of ridges. In addition, Kernels was used for the implementation of the regularized vector machine. The above algorithms were compared with the Ridge regularization and the Euclidean regularized vector machine. These types of techniques are common in physics, and it is vitally important to be able to implement other types of rules for a problem in which the choice of them can be simplified.

The results of marketing research on the options of a “smart” high-speed platform

Objective: To compose a portrait of a typical consumer for various optional lines of equipping a high- speed platform car (“smart” car) with an on-board telemetry system. Methods: The means and methods of marketing, rolling questioning, statistical processing of information, comparison, general systems theory, systemic and economic analyzes, logistics, terminology, visualization are used. Results: Optional lines have been developed for each variant of the technical design of the car, based on the results of processing the questionnaires of the respondents, a portrait of a typical consumer has been compiled; some recommendations on the composition of options in each version of the high-speed platform have been made. Practical importance: The results obtained can be applied when entering the market in terms of establishing optional lines for the design of a high-speed platform and cost. Further research should be aimed at a more detailed study of market segments with the development of the best price and functional-option solutions for the final target consumer.

Justification for the container station modification

Objective: Having studied the features of container train compositions and the container storage conditions in an open area, to propose measures for the station modification and perform a few calculations demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed measures. Me¬thods: Methods of the general systems theory, system and economic analysis, terminalistics, logistics, and railways opera-tional ma¬nagement have been applied. Results: Two alternative options for the development of a container station are proposed, considering the features of the logistics facilities’ evolution and the theory of terminalistics: extension of the railway track and widening the station for storing high-capacity containers by 20 meters. The technology of container train composition on station tracks is considered. The performance of container train composition is calculated taking into account the technology chan¬ging. Practical importance: The increased capacity of the container station opens up new opportunities for the development of a promising container traffic at the station under consideration and, consequently, for the growth of profitability of the terminal and logistics busi-ness of JSC Russian Railways. The study findings can be applied in the implementation of the con-cepts for the development of the container business of the Russian Railways Holding, the creation of a network of terminal and logistics centers in the Russian Federation, as well as in the design of individual elements of the terminal and warehouse infrastructure and optimization of the container train servicing processes.