Productivity

Rethinking Productivity in Software Engineering

· 2019

Get the most out of this foundational reference and improve the productivity of your software teams. This open access book collects the wisdom of the 2017 "Dagstuhl" seminar on productivity in software engineering, a meeting of community leaders, who came together with the goal of rethinking traditional definitions and measures of productivity. The results of their work, Rethinking Productivity in Software Engineering, includes chapters covering definitions and core concepts related to productivity, guidelines for measuring productivity in specific contexts, best practices and pitfalls, and theories and open questions on productivity. You'll benefit from the many short chapters, each offering a focused discussion on one aspect of productivity in software engineering. Readers in many fields and industries will benefit from their collected work. Developers wanting to improve their personal productivity, will learn effective strategies for overcoming common issues that interfere with progress. Organizations thinking about building internal programs for measuring productivity of programmers and teams will learn best practices from industry and researchers in measuring productivity. And researchers can leverage the conceptual frameworks and rich body of literature in the book to effectively pursue new research directions. What You'll Learn Review the definitions and dimensions of software productivity See how time management is having the opposite of the intended effect Develop valuable dashboards Understand the impact of sensors on productivity Avoid software development waste Work with human-centered methods to measure productivity Look at the intersection of neuroscience and productivity Manage interruptions and context-switching Who Book Is For Industry developers and those responsible for seminar-style courses that include a segment on software developer productivity. Chapters are written for a generalist audience, without excessive use of technical terminology. ; Collects the wisdom of software engineering thought leaders in a form digestible for any developer Shares hard-won best practices and pitfalls to avoid An up to date look at current practices in software engineering productivity

EIB Working Paper 2021/04 - Aggregate productivity slowdown in Europe

Maurin, Laurent · 2021

Using firm balance sheet data, this paper shows the impact of credit constraints on allocative efficiency and productivity growth. Allocative efficiency is the extent to which resources, including labour, are distributed to firms with the highest growth prospects, or “stuck” in less productive firms. This paper uses firm balance sheet data to analyse the role of financial constraints in the relatively muted post-crisis rebound in productivity in 2014-17, compared to previous upturns in Europe. It shows that the level of financial leverage played an important role in explaining the change in aggregate productivity growth in Europe between 2004 and 2017. Focusing on Northern and Western Europe, it also shows that the productivity potential could not be fully exploited due to constraints on access to credit. It estimates that reducing collateral bottlenecks could more than double the effectiveness of financial leverage in spurring productivity growth in this region between 2014-17.

Chapter 7 Integrating Lifespan Development Theories

Rudolph, Cort W. · 2022

"Research on age(ing) and work often draws upon lifespan development perspectives to explain how adults “age successfully,” managing developmental gains and losses and maintaining well-being and functioning over time. There are a multitude of similar theories to consider to this end, which is both a blessing and a curse for researchers. In this chapter, we introduce a conceptual integration of predominant lifespan theories used in work and aging research, organized in terms of overlapping mechanisms, predictions, and guiding principles. Then, we present the specific aspects and core characteristics of commonly used lifespan development theories, particularly those related to our integration. We conclude with recommendations for applying our integration to new research areas and approaches in the work context, highlighting the ways in which more synthesis and codification can mutually improve the study of age(ing) and work. "

Advances in Production Technology

Brecher, Christian · 2015

Manufacturing, Machines, Tools; Production/Logistics/Supply Chain Management; Machinery and Machine Elements

Finalités et usages de la formation professionnelle

Rey, Séverine · 2021

An Economic Philosophy of Production, Work and Consumption

Edvinsson, Rodney · 2023

An Economic Philosophy of Production, Work and Consumption presents a new transhistorical framework of defining production, work and consumption. It shows that they all share the common feature of intentional physical transformation of something external to the agent, at some point in time. The book opens with a discussion of various theoretical traditions within economics, spanning mainstream and heterodox perspectives, and problems with production definitions in use today. Next, the author outlines various definitions in a more formal manner and provides a discussion on measurement and the production boundary. Unproductive work is redefined as socially reproductive, i.e. such that would not be performed on a Robinson Crusoe Island. Finally, the volume applies the new conceptual framework to various historical cases and discusses the future of production, work and consumption. This essential volume will be of interest to scholars of economic philosophy and methodology, the history of economic thought, economic history and national accounting.

Devenir enseignant

Girinshuti, Crispin · 2020

The Economics of the Audiovisual Industry

La Torre, Mario · 2014

Finance and Banking, General Finance

Projet en partage, partage sans projet

· 2021

Vocabulary for Sustainable Consumption and Lifestyles

· 2025

Vocabulary for Sustainable Consumption and Lifestyles: a Language for our Common Future curates a shared vocabulary of concepts that enables a society-wide conversation about sustainable consumption and lifestyles, the future of consumer society, and ways to transcend it. Since the United Nations (UN) Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the global environmental and social consequences of mass consumption have been well documented, yet progress is slow. Overconsumption and extractive practices continue to drive ecological overshoot. Set against this backdrop, each of the 87 essays in this book imparts a meaning to a concept, highlights its history, and offers different perspectives, interpretations, and applications for social change. The two premises of this book are that we need to transition to a society in which the well-being and dignity of people are achieved with a much smaller footprint and that technological solutions are inadequate for the challenge. Policies and actions are greatly lagging behind the growing understanding of the system of production-consumption because social change is often slow, and sustainable consumption does not have a clear political champion. The book addresses tensions that also interfere with progress, such as science versus politics, economic winners versus losers, traditions versus an uncertain future, and present needs versus future costs. This innovative volume is an important resource for students, scholars, policymakers, grassroots activists, and agents of change interested in sustainable consumption and sustainable living more broadly.

Self-directed learning research: An imperative for transforming the educational landscape

Oosthuizen, Izak · 2016

This book will benefit specialists in the field of the education sciences. It represents significant progress in knowledge production. Self-directed learning has become increasingly important, not only for education in South Africa but also for education sciences in the international arena. This is a result of the changing education landscape, caused by the demands of the 21st century as well as the rapid change in knowledge production. Learners should be equipped with skills to take responsibility for their own learning. New innovative strategies should be incorporated into teaching and learning in order to meet the changing demands in education. Traditional teacher-centred practices are still the norm in most South African schools and higher-education institutions and do not adequately prepare students for lifelong learning in the 21st century. The content focuses on the theory behind self-directed learning, explores strategies such as cooperative learning, problembased learning, case-based teaching and large-group teaching that enhance self-directed learning and the use of blended learning in a self-directed learning environment. The book demonstrates how self-directed learning can be enhanced in mathematics, computer-science and life-science education and through the use of student tutors for geography. Digital technology could, for example, also be used in innovative ways for education in isiZulu folk poetry. The findings are based on original empirical research and a sound theoretical-conceptual framework. In an environment of rapidly changing knowledge production, this book responds to the challenge of how to equip learners with the necessary skills to take responsibility for their own learning. The book presents innovative teaching and learning strategies for meeting the changing demands in education. Group activities, the responsibilities of learners and the obstacles that hinder their learning are analysed, and the way in which educators can support them is discussed. Educational values such as mutual trust are discussed, and self-directed assessment is explored. This is a timely collective work authored by experts who subscribe to the approach of self-directed learning. Educators should discover new teaching and learning strategies and value the integration of self-directed learning in the classroom.

Outonomy: Fleshing out the Concept of Autonomy Beyond the Individual

· 2026

This open access book offers an innovative exploration of the concept of autonomy, extending beyond the traditional individualistic perspectives to encompass a richer, more interdependent understanding of autonomy in various domains. The authors delve into the multifaceted nature of autonomy, traversing theoretical, biological, psychological, and technological landscapes to present a comprehensive and cohesive picture. The main topics, including enactivism, biological autonomy, the psychological self in its environment, and the interplay of technology, ecology, and politics, are not only timely but also crucial for understanding the challenges and opportunities of autonomy in our increasingly complex world.

Durable Economies

· 2023

This is a conceptual book-length work, not an empirical study, arguing that the durability of physical things (infrastructure, buildings, electronics, artworks) is a central but overlooked feature of modern economies, and that rethinking durability is essential for building environmentally sustainable and socially just economic systems—meaning there are no testable interventions or effect sizes for a personal experiment, but the framework can guide how you design experiments around product longevity, repair, and consumption habits.

Science TQM, New Quality Management Principle: The Quality Management Strategy of Toyota

· 2012

When we look at the quality management issues that have faced, both, in Japan and the rest of the world recently, it is clear that a next-generation quality management practice is required, featuring a rational approach that will motivate people and revitalize organizations. We need to reassess the way quality management is carried out in the manufacturing industry and establish ‘Science Total Quality Management (TQM), new quality management principle’, as a next-generation management technology. In this e-book, the author proposes the ‘Science TQM, new quality management principle’ aimed at the evolution of manufacturing, and demonstrates its effectiveness. This contemporary principle of Japanese management science - a scientific quality management method – has been the key to success in global production and facilitates globally consistent levels of quality and simultaneous production worldwide. Specifically, Science TQM consists of several core technologies designed to address specific areas of corporate operations: the ‘Total Marketing System, TMS’ for sales, the ‘Total Development System, TDS’ for development and design, the ‘Total Production System, TPS’ for production technology and manufacturing, and the ‘Total Intelligence Management System, TIS’ and ‘Total Job Quality Management System, TJS’ for administrative and managerial functions. These systems are then effectively linked through ‘Science SQC, new quality control principle’, to rationally achieve strategic quality management. The focus of this book is thus the theory and application of strategic quality management through the application of ‘Science TQM’. The effectiveness of Science TQM is then demonstrated at Toyota Motor Corporation -one of the world’s leading automotive manufacturing companies. The author, a leading ex-general manager of TQM promotion division of Toyota Motor Corporation, shows how to align them to develop competitive quality throughout the business process that covers from the creation of product concept through manufacturing and selling to delivery to clients by actual cases. This is an e-book to be benchmarked by research professionals and practitioners who are interested in developing competitive quality of their business in the prevailing global competition. This e-book is also strongly recommended to senior managers such has top level executives who are not directly involved in so-called quality management practices because quality is the outcome of the dynamics of most activities of the company as well as the kernel of competitiveness. The essence of TQM is reflected in ‘Total Quality Management’. Science and technology, team work, collaboration with internal as well as external members, training and skill, data and information, knowledge, and organizational alignment are all important ingredients to be combined systematically and strategically. Linking all ingredients for quality in consistent and effective ways is a key to competitiveness. Readers will find not only quality related practices, but also the linking capacity for executing TQM practices as well as understand the implicit scientific, behavioral and organizational insights necessary to achieve real quality.

Chapter La relazione tra la Connessione con la Natura e i Comportamenti Pro-Ambientali: una revisione sistematica PRISMA

Fiorenza, Maria · 2024

Self-Directed Learning

van Tonder, Gideon · 2024

This scholarly book provides an in-depth analysis of self-directed learning (SDL) within contexts of curriculum, praxis, and scholarship. The book presents original research from multiple authors, which provides diverse perspectives and methodologies for enhancing understanding of SDL. It primarily focuses on incorporating SDL into curriculum development and emphasises the significance of scholarly research in designing effective curricula. The book explores the integration of technology in learning and adapts instructional strategies to meet the evolving demands of higher education and school environments. Inspired by constructivism, socio-constructivism and context-based learning theories, the text presents practical strategies for educators. Key topics include the implications of artificial intelligence, strategies for reducing procrastination, fostering SDL in homeschooling, enhancing SDL attributes, preparing teachers for self-direction, facilitating curriculum transformation, and incorporating indigenous knowledge. The book also covers teaching climate change education and integrating educational robotics. Self-Directed Learning: Curriculum implementation, praxis and scholarship in context is invaluable for scholars and researchers in education, providing empirical findings and practical insights to inspire further research. It aims to equip learners with 21st-century skills, preparing them for the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

New forms of collaborative innovation and production on the internet - an interdisciplinary perspective

· 2011

The Internet has enabled new forms of large-scale collaboration. Voluntary contributions by large numbers of users and co-producers lead to new forms of production and innovation, as seen in Wikipedia, open source software development, in social networks or on user-generated content platforms as well as in many firm-driven Web 2.0 services. Large-scale collaboration on the Internet is an intriguing phenomenon for scholarly debate because it challenges well established insights into the governance of economic action, the sources of innovation, the possibilities of collective action and the social, legal and technical preconditions for successful collaboration. Although contributions to the debate from various disciplines and fine-grained empirical studies already exist, there still is a lack of an interdisciplinary approach.

Self-Directed Learning

Chahine, Iman C. · 2021

This book on self-directed learning (SDL) is devoted to original academic scholarship within the field of education, and is the 6th volume in the North-West University (NWU) SDL book series. In this book the authors explore how self-directed learning can be considered an imperative for education in a complex modern society. Although each chapter represents independent research in the field of self-directed learning, the chapters form a coherent contribution concerning the scholarship of self-directed learning, and specifically the effect of environmental and praxis contexts on the enhancement of self-directed learning in a complex society. The publication as a whole provides diverse perspectives on the importance of self-directed learning in varied contexts. Scholars working in a wide range of fields are drawn together in this scholarly work to present a comprehensive dialogue regarding self-directed learning and how this concept functions in a complex and dynamic higher education context. This book presents a combination of theory and practice, which reflects selected conceptual dimensions of self-directed learning in society, as well as research-based findings pertaining to current topical issues relating to implementing self-directed learning in the modern world. The varied methodologies provide the reader with different and balanced perspectives, as well as varied and innovative ideas on how to conduct research in the field of self-directed learning.

Diverse educational contexts and research on metacognition and motivation to enhance self-directed learning

Verster, Marisa · 2024

This scholarly book explores the latest education research on metacognition and self-directed learning, providing practical insights for educators and students. As the thirteenth volume in the NWU Self-Directed Learning Series, it focuses on developing metacognitive skills to enhance self-regulation, motivation, and independent thinking – key competencies for success in the 21st century. Metacognition plays a vital role in learning, helping students plan, evaluate, and self-assess their progress. Research shows that students with strong metacognitive strategies achieve better learning outcomes, apply knowledge effectively, and persist through academic challenges. This book offers evidence-based teaching strategies to support the development of self-regulated learning and motivation in diverse educational settings. It examines teaching behaviour and instructional methods that foster metacognitive growth in both basic and higher education. With a particular focus on the South African education landscape, it extends research in cognitive, developmental, and applied psychology. Researchers and educators will find practical approaches for integrating metacognition into various disciplines, making this book a valuable resource for both undergraduate and graduate education programmes.

The Measured Life in the Digital Age

This book examines both the productive and counterproductive dimensions of the increasing orientation towards digital figures. Building on findings of the transdisciplinary research project "The Measured Life", the book explores the social, cultural and psychological implications of digital optimisation. The study focuses on its effects across work and organisations, relationships in social media and bodily measurement practices such as self-tracking. Based on in-depth research, the authors analyse the connections between society and the individual, culture and psyche. The spheres investigated reveal incentives and risks embodied by digital technology that indicate shifts taking place in the culturally defined relations between social and individual pathology and normality. With new theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches, The Measured Life in the Digital Age appeals to scholars in sociology, social theory, cultural studies and psychoanalysis, as well as anyone seeking to understand how digital optimisation influences our society, relationships and sense of self. The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons [Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND)] 4.0 International license.

mHealth in Practice

· 2012

This edited volume synthesises evidence from multiple researchers and practitioners on using mobile phones to promote healthy behaviours in resource-constrained settings, finding that while mHealth interventions show promise for behaviour change (e.g., medication adherence, smoking cessation, maternal health), the evidence base is weak, with few rigorous randomised controlled trials, small sample sizes, and almost no long-term follow-up beyond 6 months — meaning you cannot yet trust most claimed effects for your own self-experiment without running your own controlled test.

Chapter Temporal Clustering for Behavior Variation and Anomaly Detection from Data Acquired Through IoT in Smart Cities

Kaddachi, Firas · 2018

In this chapter, we propose a methodology for behavior variation and anomaly detection from acquired sensory data, based on temporal clustering models. Data are collected from five prominent European smart cities, and Singapore, that aim to become fully “elderly-friendly,” with the development and deployment of ubiquitous systems for assessment and prediction of early risks of elderly Mild Cognitive Impairments (MCI) and frailty, and for supporting generation and delivery of optimal personalized preventive interventions that mitigate those risks, utilizing smart city datasets and IoT infrastructure. Low level data collected from IoT devices are preprocessed as sequences of activities, with temporal and causal variations in sequences classified as normal or anomalous behavior. The goals of proposed methodology are to (1) recognize significant behavioral variation patterns and (2) support early identification of pattern changes. Temporal clustering models are applied in detection and prediction of the following variation types: intra-activity (single activity, single citizen) and inter-activity (multiple-activities, single citizen). Identified behavioral variations and anomalies are further mapped to MCI/frailty onset behavior and risk factors, following the developed geriatric expert model.

S-BPM Illustrated: A Storybook about Business Process Modeling and Execution

Singer, Robert · 2013

Information Systems Applications (incl.Internet); Business Information Systems; Computer Appl. in Administrative Data Processing; Management of Computing and Information Systems

Self-directed learning research and its impact on educational practice

Verster, Marisa · 2020

This scholarly book is the third volume in an NWU book series on self-directed learning and is devoted to self-directed learning research and its impact on educational practice. The importance of self-directed learning for learners in the 21st century to equip themselves with the necessary skills to take responsibility for their own learning for life cannot be over emphasised. The target audience does not only consist of scholars in the field of self-directed learning in Higher Education and the Schooling sector but includes all scholars in the field of teaching and learning in all education and training sectors. The book contributes to the discourse on creating dispositions towards self-directed learning among all learners and adds to the latest body of scholarship in terms of self-directed learning. Although from different perspectives, all chapters in the book are closely linked together around self-directed learning as a central theme, following on the work done in Volume 1 of this series (Self-Directed Learning for the 21st Century: Implications for Higher Education) to form a rich knowledge bank of work on self-directed learning.

Chapter Food, cooking and health in a selected corpus of websites and connected YouTube channels in France. Collecting and archiving the audiovisual web

Sala, Caroline · 2024

Based on a collaborative effort between the research project BodyCapital and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (BnF), we present a two-step archiving process and analysis of audiovisual web content related to food and health history, investigating how audiovisuals have contributed to shaping our eating habits. The first step involved a web crawl with Heritrix, targeting 158 identified seed URLs compiled based on BnF science & technology lists and URLs identified by the research group. The crawl harvested 1,067,159 URLs. A content analysis identified 1,718 videos in our corpus. Content mapping and the identification of links to YouTube videos were performed, leading to the second step involving a focused collection of 34 YouTube channels harvesting 24,427 videos (2.4 TB) to be analyzed.

Models, Methods and Tools for Product Service Design

· 2019

This open access book summarizes research being pursued within the Manutelligence project, the goal of which is to help enterprises develop smart, social and flexible products with high value added services. Manutelligence has improved Product and Service Design by developing suitable models and methods, and connecting them through a modular, collaborative and secure ICT Platform. The use of real data collected in real time by Internet of Things (IoT) technologies underpins the design of product-service systems and makes it possible to monitor them throughout their life cycle. Available data allows costs and sustainability issues to be more accurately measured and simulated in the form of Life Cycle Cost (LCC) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Analysing data from IoT systems and sharing LCC and LCA information via the ICT Platform can help to accelerate the design of product-service systems, reduce costs and better understand customer needs. Industrial partners involved in Manutelligence provide a clear overview of the project’s outcomes, and demonstrate how its technological solutions can be used to improve the design of product-service systems and the management of product-service life cycles.

Habitual Ethics?

Delacroix, Sylvie · 2022

What if data-intensive technologies’ ability to mould habits with unprecedented precision is also capable of triggering some mass disability of profound consequences? What if we become incapable of modifying the deeply-rooted habits that stem from our increased technological dependence? On an impoverished understanding of habit, the above questions are easily shrugged off. Habits are deemed rigid by definition: ‘as long as our deliberative selves remain capable of steering the design of data-intensive technologies, we’ll be fine’. To question this assumption, this open access book first articulates the way in which the habitual stretches all the way from unconscious tics to purposive, intentionally acquired habits. It also highlights the extent to which our habit-reliant, pre-reflective intelligence normally supports our deliberative selves. It is when habit rigidification sets in that this complementarity breaks down. The book moves from a philosophical inquiry into the ‘double edge’ of habit — its empowering and compromising sides — to consideration of individual and collective strategies to keep habits at the service of our ethical life. Allowing the norms that structure our forms of life to be cotton-wooled in abstract reasoning is but one of the factors that can compromise ongoing social and moral transformations. Systems designed to simplify our practical reasoning can also make us ‘sheep-like’. Drawing a parallel between the moral risk inherent in both legal and algorithmic systems, the book concludes with concrete interventions designed to revive the scope for normative experimentation. It will appeal to any reader concerned with our retaining an ability to trigger change within the practices that shape our ethical sensibility. The eBook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by the Mozilla Foundation.

The ‘How’ of Self-Care for Teachers

Lemon, Narelle · 2024

Providing insights, ideas, strategies and compassion, this book offers a new way of looking at self-care for educators experiencing exhaustion and stress, or who may simply be feeling more tired than they should be. Drawing on personal experiences of burnout, as well as research in wellbeing literacy, self-care and positive psychology, Narelle Lemon presents a new framework for self-care. Designed especially for teachers of any discipline or sector, the framework is based on five key dimensions: self-compassion, mindful awareness, habits, time, and empowerment. Evidence-based and easy to follow, these dimensions scaffold the tools and strategies offered in the book, allowing the reader to create their own toolbox based on what resonates with them most. The book is designed to be flexible, so the reader is encouraged to follow the recommendations as closely as they wish, or to take inspiration for their own ideas, acknowledging that tools will change over time and across contexts. The practical tools in this book are further supported by reflective prompts, as well as opportunities for extension with tips for leaders, working groups and the education sector more broadly. Written by a teacher for teachers, this book gives you not only the tools but also the permission to look after yourself. It will show you that self-care is an act of self-love, self-compassion, and self-awareness, and that it is relational and you need to care for you in order to care for others.

Why Knowing What To Do Is Not Enough

Bovens, Mark · 2019

This open access book sets out to explain the reasons for the gap between “knowing” and “doing” in view of self-reliance, which is more and more often expected of citizens. In today’s society, people are expected to take responsibility for their own lives and be self-reliant. This is no easy feat. They must be on constant high alert in areas of life such as health, work and personal finances and, if things threaten to go awry, take appropriate action without further ado. What does this mean for public policy? Policymakers tend to assume that the government only needs to provide people with clear information and that, once properly informed, they will automatically do the right thing. However, it is becoming increasingly obvious that things do not work like that. Even though people know perfectly well what they ought to do, they often behave differently. Why is this? This book sets out to explain the reasons for the gap between ‘knowing’ and ‘doing’. It focuses on the role of non-cognitive capacities, such as setting goals, taking action, persevering and coping with setbacks, and shows how these capacities are undermined by adverse circumstances. By taking the latest psychological insights fully into account, this book presents a more realist perspective on self-reliance, and shows government officials how to design rules and institutions that allow for the natural limitations in people’s ‘capacity to act’.

Chapter Configuration Logic of Standard Business Processes for Inter-Company Order Management

Cuber, Stefan · 2012

Space science

New forms of collaborative innovation and production on the internet

· 2011

This is a conceptual review (not an empirical study) that synthesises existing research across economics, sociology, and computer science to argue that the internet enables large-scale, voluntary, non-market collaboration that challenges traditional theories of production, innovation, and collective action—but it provides no original data, effect sizes, or experimental evidence, so its value for a self-experimenter is indirect: it frames *what* to study (e.g., motivation, governance, quality control in peer production) rather than *how* to test it.

Blended learning environments to foster self-directed learning

van Deventer, Nicolaas · 2022

This book on blended learning environments to foster self-directed learning highlights the focus on research conducted in several teaching and learning contexts where blended learning had been implemented and focused on the fostering of self-directed learning. Several authors have contributed to the book, and each chapter provides a unique perspective on blended learning and self-directed learning research. From each chapter, it becomes evident that coherence on the topics mentioned is established. One of the main aspects drawn in this book, and addressed by several authors in the book, is the use of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework when implementing teaching and learning strategies in blended learning environments to foster self-directed learning. This notion of focusing on the CoI framework is particularly evident in both theoretical and empirical dissemination presented in this book. What makes this book unique is the fact that researchers and peers in varied fields would benefit from the findings presented by each chapter, albeit theoretical, methodological or empirical in nature – this, in turn, provides opportunities for future research endeavours to further the narrative of how blended learning environments can be used to foster self-directed learning.

Chapter New design models for proximity retail and senior inclusion

Sicklinger, Andreas · 2023

Transport: general interest

Learning through assessment

de Beer, Josef · 2021

This book aims to contribute to the discourse of learning through assessment within a self-directed learning environment. It adds to the scholarship of assessment and self-directed learning within a face-to-face and online learning environment. As part of the NWU Self-Directed Learning Book Series, this book is devoted to scholarship in the field of self-directed learning, focusing on ongoing and envisaged assessment practices for self-directed learning through which learning within the 21st century can take place. This book acknowledges and emphasises the role of assessment as a pedagogical tool to foster self-directed learning during face-to-face and online learning situations. The way in which higher education conceptualises teaching, learning and assessment has been inevitably changed due to the COVID- 19 pandemic, and now more than ever we need learners to be self-directed in their learning. Assessment plays a key role in learning and, therefore, we have to identify innovative ways in which learning can be assessed, and which are likely to become the new norm even after the pandemic has been brought under control. The goal of this book, consisting of original research, is to assist with the paradigm shift regarding the purpose of assessment, as well as providing new ideas on assessment strategies, methods and tools appropriate to foster self-directed learning in all modes of delivery.

Chapter Inclusive design in the context of performative gender through product form

Özemir, Pinar · 2023

This theoretical chapter argues that product forms are not neutral but carry gendered meanings that users "perform" through interaction, and that inclusive design must account for how products constrain or enable gender expression — but it provides no experimental data, so it cannot directly inform a self-experiment.

Augmented Humanity

Bryant, Peter T. · 2021

This is a theoretical book, not an empirical study — it maps the conceptual landscape of how digital tools (AI, algorithms, digital networks) are reshaping human cognition, decision-making, and agency, arguing that we are entering an era of "augmented agency" where human and machine intelligence combine in novel ways, but it provides no testable hypotheses, no data, and no experimental results for a self-experimenter to directly apply.

Co-Production and Co-Creation

· 2018

Co-production and co-creation occur when citizens participate actively in delivering and designing the services they receive. It has come increasingly onto the agenda of policymakers, as interest in citizen participation has more generally soared. Expectations are high and it is regarded as a possible solution to the public sector’s decreased legitimacy and dwindling resources, by accessing more of society’s capacities. In addition, it is seen as part of a more general drive to reinvigorate voluntary participation and strengthen social cohesion in an increasingly fragmented and individualized society. "Co-Production and Co-Creation: Engaging Citizens in Public Services" offers a systematic and comprehensive theoretical and empirical examination of the concepts of co-production and co-creation and their application in practice. It shows the latest state of knowledge on the topic and will be of interest both to students at an advanced level, academics and reflective practitioners. It addresses the topics with regard to co-production and co-creation and will be of interest to researchers, academics, policymakers, and students in the fields of public administration, business administration, economics, political science, public management, political science service management, sociology and voluntary sector studies.

Chapter An analysis of the transaction towards sustainable food consumption practises during the Italian lockdown for SARS-CoV-2: the experience of the Lombardy region

Zenga, Mariangela · 2021

This paper intends to investigate the behaviours adopted during this lockdown period due to SARS-CoV-2, in which most individuals have found themselves forced to carry out their daily lives within domestic boundaries, and compare them with previously practiced food-related habits. The aim is to understand whether strategies of buying, preparing and consuming food have changed with respect to established habits of 'ordinary' periods, and how these choices are linked to the psychological and emotional wellbeing/feeling experienced by individuals, to the physiological well-being of individuals and to social, environmental and economic sustainability. The analysis is based on the survey carried out by the Department of Psychology in collaboration with the interdepartmental center BEST4Food of Milano-Bicocca university.

Chapter An analysis of the transaction towards sustainable food consumption practises during the Italian lockdown for SARS-CoV-2: the experience of the Lombardy region

Zenga, Mariangela · 2021

This paper intends to investigate the behaviours adopted during this lockdown period due to SARS-CoV-2, in which most individuals have found themselves forced to carry out their daily lives within domestic boundaries, and compare them with previously practiced food-related habits. The aim is to understand whether strategies of buying, preparing and consuming food have changed with respect to established habits of 'ordinary' periods, and how these choices are linked to the psychological and emotional wellbeing/feeling experienced by individuals, to the physiological well-being of individuals and to social, environmental and economic sustainability. The analysis is based on the survey carried out by the Department of Psychology in collaboration with the interdepartmental center BEST4Food of Milano-Bicocca university.

Chapter Measuring the movement between employment and self-employment: a survey proposal

FELTRIN, Paolo · 2021

This chapter proposes a new set of survey questions to better measure the flow between employment and self-employment in Italy, revealing that between 2009 and 2019, about one million younger, less-educated workers disappeared from self-employment entry, partially replaced by older, highly educated entrants — a shift that matters for anyone tracking career transitions or running personal experiments on income stability.

Chapter 8 A lopsided reflation

Primrose, David · 2024

This handbook provides a comprehensive and critical overview of the gamut of contemporary issues around health and healthcare from a political economy perspective. Its contributions present a unique challenge to prevailing economic accounts of health and healthcare, which narrowly focus on individual behaviour and market processes. Instead, the capacity of the human body to reach its full potential and the ability of society to prevent disease and cure illness are demonstrated to be shaped by a broader array of political economic processes. The material conditions in which societies produce, distribute, exchange, consume, and reproduce – and the operation of power relations therein – influence all elements of human health: from food consumption and workplace safety, to inequality, healthcare and housing, and even the biophysical conditions in which humans live. This volume explores these concerns across five sections. First, it introduces and critically engages with a variety of established and cutting-edge theoretical perspectives in political economy to conceptualise health and healthcare – from neoclassical and behavioural economics, to Marxist and feminist approaches. The next two sections extend these insights to evaluate the neoliberalisation of health and healthcare over the past 40 years, highlighting their individualisation and commodification by the capitalist state and powerful corporations. The fourth section examines the diverse manifestation of these dynamics across a range of geographical contexts. The volume concludes with a section devoted to outlining more progressive health and healthcare arrangements, which transcend the limitations of both neoliberalism and capitalism. This volume will be an indispensable reference work for students and scholars of political economy, health policy and politics, health economics, health geography, the sociology of health, and other health-related disciplines.

Needful Structures

Siegler, Marcel · 2023

How do humans, their needs, and technology interact in society? Marcel Siegler explores the dialectical relationship between human needs and desires, the demands and requirements of the built world, and the forms of organization that hold both humans and the built world together. He argues that complex societal constellations emerge from the actions individuals perform with the technological means at hand to satisfy their needs and desires in the short and long run. Based on a novel, complementary reading of French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, the study develops a conceptual framework for analyzing the intricate machinations of sociotechnical systems from a perspective on situated human-technology interaction.

Mapping Individual Subjective Values to Product Design

Zöller, Susan · 2019

This dissertation introduces ACADE (Approach for Computer Aided Design of Emotional impressions), a structured method to translate subjective user values and personality traits into specific product design parameters, enabling engineers to deliberately optimise products for individual emotional preferences rather than relying on intuition or trial-and-error.

Entrepreneurship

Grebel, Thomas · 2005

This is a theoretical book that synthesises existing theories of entrepreneurship using concepts from modern physics (quantum theory, graph theory, and percolation theory) to propose a new evolutionary model of entrepreneurial behaviour — it does not report any experimental data, effect sizes, or empirical findings, so it cannot directly inform a self-experiment.

Frontières et mobilité au quotidien

Dubois, Yann · 2019

Designing Sustainable Clothing Systems

Motta, Martina · 2022

The Fashion System is at the center of the international debate as one of the most polluting and most impactful industries on the environment. In the last decade the fashion industry has changed, and is still modifying, its approach, aware of the fact that the attention to the environment can no longer be considered a trend: the entire system needs to find and adopt a methodological approach to the project and to the production of goods and services. Today all the stakeholders on the supply chain follow a path from upstream to downstream: from the treatment of pollution, to the intervention on the production processes that generate a product, to the redesign of products and/or services to reach the discussion and reorientation of social behavior. This path shows the need to intervene in design terms and that the growth in responsibility and role of design, requiring reference scenarios, knowledge and new tools. The book defines the features and scenarios of sustainable development, as well as the evolution of sustainability in research and practice of fashion design, addressing the strategies for the design and development of environmentally sustainable products. The authors describe the Life Cycle Design approach and the strategies and guidelines for integrating environmental requirements into product design for sustainable fashion. They present the so-called Systems of Sustainable Products-Services, namely the most promising scenarios and models to make design for sustainable fashion economically convenient. Finally, they provide a method and related tools to support design for sustainable fashion in the evaluation of the environmental impact of products, with particular emphasis on the LCA (Life Cycle Assessment). The text is enriched by a full-bodied review of interviews and case studies, with the dual purpose of making the design options clear and of highlighting their specificity for the different design contexts.

Format Matters

· 2019

From TIFF files to TED talks, from book sizes to blues stations—the term “format” circulates in a staggering array of contexts and applies to entirely dissimilar objects and practices. How can such a pliable notion meaningfully function as an instrument of classification in so many industries and scientific communities? Comprising a wide range of case studies on the standards, practices, and politics of formats from scholars of photography, film, radio, television, and the Internet, Format Matters charts the many ways in which formats shape and are shaped by past and present media cultures. This volume represents the first sustained collaborative effort to advance the emerging field of format studies.

Self-Directed Learner

Gavriel, Jennifer · 2005

Self-directed learning is a buzz term that has been used within educational circles for some time now. An educator wants their students to fulfill their potential and work to the maximum of their abilities. As with younger students, the challenge with teaching adults is to encourage discipline and focus in studying and to develop a motivation for learning as opposed to simply seeking the answers. This book captures the frustrations involved in this pursuit and provides strategy and solutions for both educator and student alike. Using the three pillar model, the foundation for life-long, self-directed learning is clearly outlined and encouraged through a focus on skills, motivation and self-belief.

L'intelligence des formes

Porotto, Alessandro · 2019

Living in the Plastic Age

· 2023