Businesses today are faced with a highly competitive market and fast-changing technologies. In order to meet demanding customers' needs, they rely on high quality software. A new field of study, soft computing techniques, is needed to estimate the efforts invested in component-based software. Component-Based Systems: Estimating Efforts Using Soft Computing Techniques is an important resource that uses computer-based models for estimating efforts of software. It provides an overview of component-based software engineering, while addressing uncertainty involved in effort estimation and expert opinions. This book will also instruct the reader how to develop mathematical models. This book is an excellent source of information for students and researchers to learn soft computing models, their applications in software management, and will help software developers, managers, and those in the industry to apply soft computing techniques to estimate efforts.

Lean is about building and improving stable and predictable systems and processes to deliver to customers high-quality products/services on time by engaging everyone in the organization. Combined with this, organizations need to create an environment of respect for people and continuous learning. It's all about people. People create the product or service, drive innovation, and create systems and processes, and with leadership buy-in and accountability to ensure sustainment with this philosophy, employees will be committed to the organization as they learn and grow personally and professionally. Lean is a term that describes a way of thinking about and managing companies as an enterprise. Becoming Lean requires the following: the continual pursuit to identify and eliminate waste; the establishment of efficient flow of both information and process; and an unwavering top-level commitment. The concept of continuous improvement applies to any process in any industry. Based on the contents of The Lean Practitioners Field Book, the purpose of this series is to show, in detail, how any process can be improved utilizing a combination of tasks and people tools and introduces the BASICS Lean (R) concept. The books are designed for all levels of Lean practitioners and introduces proven tools for analysis and implementation that go beyond the traditional point kaizen event. Each book can be used as a stand-alone volume or used in combination with other titles based on specific needs. Each book is chock-full of case studies and stories from the authors' own experiences in training organizations that have started or are continuing their Lean journey of continuous improvement. Contents include valuable lessons learned and each chapter concludes with questions pertaining to the focus of the chapter. Numerous photographs enrich and illustrate specific tools used in Lean methodology. Suggesting Solutions: Brainstorming Creative Ideas to Maximize Productivity explores the process block diagram tool, how to do a Lean layout and Lean master layout and how to create standard work and visual management systems. The goal of this book is to introduce the balance of the tools and how to proceed once the analysis is completed. There are many pieces to a Lean implementation and all of them are interconnected. This book walks through the relationships and how the data presented can be leveraged to prepare for the implementation. It also provides suggest solutions for improvements and making recommendations to management to secure their buy-in and approval.

Provides a through and systematic discussion on the functionally graded adhesive and its joints Discusses analytical modelling and numerical analyses of the joints Details 3D stress and failure delamination analysis for composite analyses of functionally graded out-of-plane joints under various combinations of loading Illustrates FE Modeling and simulation of interfacial failure and damage propagation in out-of-plane joints Includes effect of various gradation function profiles on damage growth driving forces (SERR)

Focuses on the latest research in Graph Theory Provides recent research findings that are occurring in this field Discusses the advanced developments and gives insights on an international and transnational level Identifies the gaps in the results Presents forthcoming international studies and researches, long with applications in Networking, Computer Science, Chemistry, Biological Sciences, etc.

With business and organisations moving at an ever-faster pace and facing evermore demanding challenges, the need for efficient, succinct and productive interaction between individuals of those businesses and organisations is more important than ever. With the bounds of communication restrictions abandoned through technological advances (we can now see and hear anyone across any manner of virtual platforms anywhere around the globe) and with a greater understanding of the underlying dynamics of human interaction, unprecedented pressure has been thrust upon the individual or individuals who, often, enable these dynamic interactions: the facilitator. Many of us have, at one time or other, been responsible for a meeting - whether between a small number of individuals or an entire organisation of hundreds, or possibly thousands, of businessmen and women. Or, perhaps, we've had to be the mediator in a family dispute closer to home or managed a discussion between two feuding friends or colleagues. One way or another, chances are, all of us have been a facilitator at some point in our lives. With the ever-growing demands placed on facilitators, this book delivers a methodical and structured approach to facilitation. This book is the definitive guide to instruct and assist facilitators - both new and experienced - with a set of guidelines and underlying theory that will benefit any facilitator, whether as a mediator between two individuals, single-handedly facilitating a group of 100 or working as part of a facilitation team in a multinational corporation. The first part of the book develops the core basic skills of those new to the art of facilitating. There are many examples and exercises to show the reader how to apply them in different situations. The second part of the book is for more experienced facilitators as it focuses on more advanced skills and tackling difficult situations. Specific tools and techniques are illustrated for the reader. Essentially, this book is aimed at developing and mastering the art of facilitation. Facilitation is the art of getting the best out of groups of people to brainstorm, solve problems and gain consensus. Based on 30 years' experience of the author and running multiple facilitation training courses across the globe, this book is aimed at upskilling people, managers and leaders to drive change and consensus with groups through running workshops and meetings.

The City of Manchester, once the birthplace of the 1st Industrial Revolution, is today a pioneering hub of the 4th Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0), offering Industry 4.0 solutions in advanced materials, engineering, healthcare and social sciences. Indeed, the creation of some of the city's greatest academic institutions was a direct outcome of the industrial revolution, so it was something of a homecoming that the Sustainable Smart Manufacturing (S2M) Conference was hosted by The University of Manchester in 2019. The conference was jointly organised by The University of Manchester, The University of Lisbon and The Polytechnic of Leiria - the latter two bringing in a wealth of expertise in how Industry 4.0 manifests itself in the context of sustainably evolving, deeply-rooted cities. S2M-2019 instigated the development of 61 papers selected for publication in this book on areas of Smart Manufacturing, Additive Manufacturing and Virtual Prototyping, Materials for Healthcare Applications and Circular Economy, Design Education, and Urban Spaces.

The principle of personalisation appears in a range of current debates among design professionals, healthcare providers and educationalists about the implications of new technologies and approaches to consumer sovereignty for 'mass' provision. The potential of new technologies implies systems of provision that offer bespoke support to their users, tailoring services and experiences to suit individual needs. The assumption that individual choice automatically increases wellbeing has underlain the re-design of public services. Ubiquitous personalisation in screen-based environments gives individuals the sense that their personality is reflected back at them. Advances in Artificial Intelligence mean our personal intelligent agents have begun to acquire personality. Given its prevalence, it is appropriate to identify the scope of this phenomenon that is altering our relationship to the 'non-human' world. This book presents taxonomy of personalisation, and its potential consequences for the design profession as well as its ethical and political dimensions through a collection of essays from a range of academic perspectives. The thought-provoking introduction, conclusion and nine chapters present a well-balanced mixture of in-depth literature review and practical examples to deepen our understanding of the consequences of personalisation for our professional and personal lives. Collectively, this book points towards the implications of personalisation for design-led social innovation. This will be valuable reading for professionals in the design industry and health provision, as well as students of product design, fashion and sociology.

Strategic success of industry depends upon manufacturing competencies (i.e., the competitive advantage to ensure better quality and reliability), which will increase sales and create a sound customer base. Competitive priorities are the operating advantages that are assessed, evaluated, and measured within the parameters of cost, quality, time, design, and flexibility. The book explains the manufacturing competencies upon which the strategic success of the automobile industry depends. The impact of manufacturing competency on strategic success is analyzed and modelled using suitable qualitative and quantitative techniques. Key Features Outlines manufacturing competencies in correlation with successful strategic planning for current manufacturing environment Provides methodology or guidelines for linking defined strategic plans with manufacturing competencies Defines strategic success in the context of the automobile industry Analyses and models manufacturing competency impacts using qualitative and quantitative techniques Develops qualitative models with real-time case studies

The best organizations, and even the best departments within organizations, have a roadmap: a clear vision of where they would like to be and the means by which they will get there. This roadmap drives the everyday activity of the company as well as any change it makes both internally and externally. And it is what drives projects. In fact, it is arguable that success in business is almost wholly reliant on an ability to implement change effectively - whether it is a computer system that gives you the edge on your competitor, bringing a new product to market, adopting new ways of working, or completely redefining the approach your company takes. Success and survival in business relies on change and the way that business implements change is through projects. Therefore, if you work in the world of business, sooner or later the chances are that you will be involved in a project, as a stakeholder, advisor, sponsor or possibly running it - as the project manager. In The Everyday Project Manager, author and project management expert Jeremy Nicholls shares the key attributes and skills of successful project management and describes the practical skills that will enhance project delivery regardless of your level of experience. The skills and concepts detailed in this book can be easily understood and implemented. They are "everyday" (that is, commonplace) skills, but they are skills and the concepts that the best project managers use every day. Each chapter details the concepts, practices, and tools that readers will use to build their proficiency in every phase of delivering a project efficiently and effectively.

In Psychology and Human Performance in Space Programs: Extreme Application, operations experts from multiple space agencies, with support from spaceflight researchers, outline existing and proposed operations for selecting, training, and supporting space crews who currently live and work on the International Space Station, and who are preparing for future missions to the moon and Mars. Highlighting applied psychology in spaceflight whilst acknowledging real-world complexities that occur when integrating across an international, multi-agency collective, this volume provides both historical and current perspectives toward spaceflight operations, with expert contributions from NASA and international partners such as the Japanese Space Agency, Russian space researchers, and the Canadian Space Agency. Helpfully outlining the progress that has been made so far, this book includes topics such as the selection and hiring of astronauts, the process of training a crew for a mission to Mars, and workload and mission planning. Discussing operational psychology in space and on the ground, this book looks to the future of research and operational needs for future missions to Mars, with an essay from astronaut Dr. Don Pettit on his experiences in space and how the Mars mission will challenge us in new ways. This second of two volumes will be of interest to professionals in the field of human factors and psychology in extreme environments.

In Psychology and Human Performance in Space Programs: Research at the Frontier, leading space researchers from multiple fields of expertise summarize the recent growth of knowledge, the resulting tools and techniques, and the research still needed to protect humans in space. Making use of cutting-edge research and development related to composing, training, and supporting astronaut crews who will live and work together for future missions to Mars, this book examines the current practices of leaders in the field both at NASA and in academia. Presenting astronaut data alongside data from analogous extreme environments such as mission simulation habitats, this volume helpfully contrasts and compares to examine the lessons that can be learned from other approaches. Using the context of current International Space Station missions, the book discusses the influence of human factors and physiological health on individual and team job performance and social cohesion. With an overview of the physical and psychological hazards of space, and the challenges posed by conducting space-related applied psychology research, this volume uses the context of a long-duration Mars mission as a lens through which to discuss adaptation and resilience, technical and team training, technological advances related to working and living in space, and human interaction with onboard systems. Additionally, the book includes an essay from retired astronaut Clay Anderson on his experiences in space and thoughts on future missions to the moon and Mars. This first of two volumes will be of interest to professionals in the field of human factors and psychology at work, as well as academics examining human performance in extreme environments and aerospace.

People do their best work when they are motivated. This may sound obvious, but while people managers instinctively agree with the centrality of motivation at work and its impact on employee engagement, their practices do not follow. With so much "real work" to do every day, how can managers also carve out time to learn, engage, build relationships, tap motivation, encourage development, and inspire? The problem is a false dichotomy between the world of business and that of people development. What if managers were able to systematically transform everyday business issues into meaningful, developmental coaching opportunities with employees at the same time? This proven coaching approach radically shifts conversations away from either-or propositions and uses an entirely different lens: transforming business challenges by connecting them directly to employee motivation to achieve the desired business result while dramatically increasing employee engagement. And all this comes none too soon as leaders must rethink the way they lead given the modern realities of organizational life. Among them: A rapidly changing workplace and increasing uncertainty that requires a fundamental shift in the leader's approach, including the distribution of authority and the expectation that employees take responsibility for their own learning Pervasive and persistent employee disengagement, characterized by employees who no longer accept the organization's priorities at the expense of their own, where organizations that continue to dictate terms will find ongoing challenges with costly employee turnover and lack of engagement During the past decade, the Developmental Coaching Model has been taught across the globe in nine languages and has been enthusiastically embraced by thousands of managers while dissolving the invisible barriers that block individual and organizational development and business success.

Published in 1962: In offering this work as a modest contribution to our knowledge of the economic development of England from the standpoint of transportation, the author must say, in the first place that he has endeavoured to adhere rigidly to the subject in hand, withour making deviations into collateral fields

Human Action Recognition is a challenging area presently. The vigor of research effort directed towards this domain is self indicative of this. With the ever-increasing involvement of Computational Intelligence in our day to day applications, the necessity of human activity recognition has been able to make its presence felt to the concerned research community. The primary drive of such an effort is to equip the computing system capable of recognizing and interpreting human activities from posture, pose, gesture, facial expression etc. The intent of human activity recognition is a formidable component of cognitive science in which researchers are actively engaged of late. Features: A systematic overview of the state-of-the-art in computational intelligence techniques for human action recognition. Emphasized on different intelligent techniques to recognize different human actions. Discussed about the automation techniques to handle human action recognition. Recent research results and some pointers to future advancements in this arena. In the present endeavour the editors intend to come out with a compilation that reflects the concerns of relevant research community. The readers would be able to come across some of the latest findings of active researchers of the concerned field. It is anticipated that this treatise shall be useful to the readership encompassing students at undergraduate and postgraduate level, researchers active as well as aspiring, not to speak of the senior researchers.

Despite a growing body of research and targeted remediation, teenage and novice drivers continue to be six to nine times more likely to die in a crash than they are when they are just a few years older. The World Health Organization reports that road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death globally among 15 to 19 year olds. In light of these crash statistics, understanding the teen driver problem remains of paramount public health importance around the world. The Handbook of Teen and Novice Drivers: Research, Practice, Policy, and Directions provides critical knowledge for a broad range of potential readers, including students, teachers, researchers in academics, industry and the federal government, public policy makers at all levels, insurance companies and automobile manufacturers, driving instructors, and parents and their teens.

An easy-to-read and highly informative book on an extremely important subject.Provides a road map for establishing a system for the identification and elimination of poor-quality costs.Gives management at all levels an important tool for maximization of profit eliminating the concept of optimum operating quality-cost point.

1. Focuses on blockchain technologies used specifically in Society 5.0. 2. Provides applications of blockchain technologies in decision modelling for supply chain. 3. Addresses the issues of supply chain management in Society 5.0. 4. Discusses the impacts and the responses of implementing Society 5.0 in supply chain. 5. Explores new studies and tools that aim to integrate digital technologies with human aspect of supply chain.

Risk is related to the magnitude and uncertainty of an output (consequence or outcome); outputs take on different identities in different disciplines and situations. Risk is peculiar to each stakeholder and the measurement scale for risk depends on the stakeholder's value system. Risk management provides a way of addressing the issues associated with the magnitude and uncertainty of outputs. This book provides a distinctively rational treatment of risk and risk management, based on a systems approach. The book's treatment applies to all disciplines and sets out the principles of risk and risk management as well as looking at a range of applications and more specialist tools and approaches. The book: Develops a risk framework through a systems approach Offers a challenging and fresh approach for infrastructure engineering, construction and project management in general The book will suit students and practitioners alike.

Lean is about building and improving stable and predictable systems and processes to deliver to customers high-quality products/services on time by engaging everyone in the organization. Combined with this, organizations need to create an environment of respect for people and continuous learning. It's all about people. People create the product or service, drive innovation, and create systems and processes, and with leadership buy-in and accountability to ensure sustainment with this philosophy, employees will be committed to the organization as they learn and grow personally and professionally. Lean is a term that describes a way of thinking about and managing companies as an enterprise. Becoming Lean requires the following: the continual pursuit to identify and eliminate waste; the establishment of efficient flow of both information and process; and an unwavering top-level commitment. The concept of continuous improvement applies to any process in any industry. Based on the contents of The Lean Practitioners Field Book, the purpose of this series is to show, in detail, how any process can be improved utilizing a combination of tasks and people tools and introduces the BASICS Lean (R) concept. The books are designed for all levels of Lean practitioners and introduces proven tools for analysis and implementation that go beyond the traditional point kaizen event. Each book can be used as a stand-alone volume or used in combination with other titles based on specific needs. Each book is chock-full of case studies and stories from the authors' own experiences in training organizations that have started or are continuing their Lean journey of continuous improvement. Contents include valuable lessons learned and each chapter concludes with questions pertaining to the focus of the chapter. Numerous photographs enrich and illustrate specific tools used in Lean methodology. Baseline: Confronting Reality & Planning the Path for Success focuses on change management and how to manage and accelerate change. The authors also outline how to get ready to implement lean, how to baseline your processes prior to implementing Lean, and how to create a value stream map of processes. This book also discusses Lean accounting.

Lean is about building and improving stable and predictable systems and processes to deliver to customers high-quality products/services on time by engaging everyone in the organization. Combined with this, organizations need to create an environment of respect for people and continuous learning. It's all about people. People create the product or service, drive innovation, and create systems and processes, and with leadership buy-in and accountability to ensure sustainment with this philosophy, employees will be committed to the organization as they learn and grow personally and professionally. Lean is a term that describes a way of thinking about and managing companies as an enterprise. Becoming Lean requires the following: the continual pursuit to identify and eliminate waste; the establishment of efficient flow of both information and process; and an unwavering top-level commitment. The concept of continuous improvement applies to any process in any industry. Based on the contents of The Lean Practitioners Field Book, the purpose of this series is to show, in detail, how any process can be improved utilizing a combination of tasks and people tools and introduces the BASICS Lean (R) concept. The books are designed for all levels of Lean practitioners and introduces proven tools for analysis and implementation that go beyond the traditional point kaizen event. Each book can be used as a stand-alone volume or used in combination with other titles based on specific needs. Each book is chock-full of case studies and stories from the authors' own experiences in training organizations that have started or are continuing their Lean journey of continuous improvement. Contents include valuable lessons learned and each chapter concludes with questions pertaining to the focus of the chapter. Numerous photographs enrich and illustrate specific tools used in Lean methodology Check: Identifying Gaps on the Path to Success Transactional Processes contains chapters on implementing Lean, Kanban systems, line balancing, Heijunka-leveling, and the +QDIP process plus case studies of machine shop and transactional implementations. The implementation model describes the different approaches to Lean, compares them to Toyota, and explains each implementation model.

Provides entire coverage of energy management and audit concepts Explores energy audit methodologies and energy saving initiatives Incorporates current technologies like machine learning, IoT, data analytics in energy audit for reliability improvement Describes energy analytics with real time examples and programming codes Includes case studies covering detailed energy saving calculation with investment pay back calculations

Presents exclusive material on integration of 4D imaging and 4D printing Demonstrates the industrial applications of 4D imaging in 4D printing using multiple case studies Discusses use of open source 4D imaging tools for biomedical applications Includes in-house development of smart materials for 4D printing Reviews low cost, indigenous lab scale solutions for various veterinary applications

This book describes all parts of belt conveyors, their functions and different types presented one after the other with necessary illustrations covering all the basic aspects so that the reader can obtain an overall understanding of their operation and implementation within the field of bulk material handling, mining and mineral processing. Dedicated study of this work will also enable engineers to carry out minor repairs on their own without having to wait for maintenance personnel. This is an introductory preliminary book for beginners in the field of bulk material handling, mining and mineral processing, written in lucid, easy-to-understand language, well-illustrated, and with self-explanatory descriptions that do not compromise in maintaining academic standards while dealing with the subject matter. A salient feature of this book is that all the new terminology used to describe the components and their functions has been included and explained. Much of the content of this book has been tested and evaluated positively by graduate and postgraduate students and professional engineers of several bulk material handling plants during training programs over the last twenty-five years in India.

Due to the enormous impact of mechatronics systems, we encounter mechatronics and micromechatronic systems in our daily activities. Recent trends and novel technologies in engineering have increased the emphasis on integrated analysis, design, and control. This book examines motion devices (actuators, motors, transducers and sensors), power electronics, controllers, and electronic solutions with the main emphasis placed on high-performance mechatronic systems. Analysis, design, optimization, control, and implementation issues, as well as a variety of enabling mechatronic systems and devices, are also covered. The results extend from the scope of mechatronic systems to the modern hardware-software developments, utilizing enabling solutions and placing the integrated system perspectives in favor of consistent engineering solutions. Mechatronics and Control of Electromechanical Systems facilitates comprehensive studies and covers the design aspects of mechatronic systems with high-performance motion devices. By combining traditional engineering topics and subjects with the latest technologies and developments, new advances are stimulated in design of state-of-the-art mechatronic systems. This book provides a deep understanding of the engineering underpinnings of integrated technologies.

Whether a trainee is studying air traffic control, piloting, maintenance engineering, or cabin crew, they must complete a set number of training 'hours' before being licensed or certified. The aviation industry is moving away from an hours-based to a competency-based training system. Within this approach, training is complete when a learner can demonstrate competent performance. Training based on competency is an increasingly popular approach in aviation. It allows for an alternate means of compliance with international regulations - which can result in shorter and more efficient training programs. However there are also challenges with a competency-based approach. The definition of competency-based education can be confusing, training can be reductionist and artificially simplistic, professional interpretation of written competencies can vary between individuals, and this approach can have a high administrative and regulatory burden. Competency-Based Education in Aviation: Exploring Alternate Training Pathways explores this approach to training in great detail, considering the four aviation professional groups of air traffic control, pilots, maintenance engineers, and cabin crew. Aviation training experts were interviewed and have contributed professional insights along with personal stories and anecdotes associated with competency-based approaches in their fields. Research-based and practical strategies for the effective creation, delivery, and assessment of competency-based education are described in detail.