Search results for "SIMULATION"

Robotic and virtual World Programming labs to Stimulate Reasoning and visual-spatial Abilities

2013

Abstract The individuals’ cognitive skills, academic performance and their relationship with programming of robots or virtual learning environment is a topic of particular interest in the area of human-robot interaction. This paper presents a pilot study performed on a group of 36 lower secondary school students involved in a 32-hours laboratory based on the combination of LEGO Mindstorm NXT and Microsoft Kodu Game Lab (KGL) and aimed at programming first a robot and further a more complete virtual world based on a narrative-designed scenario. The findings of the research will be discussed in the light of the effectiveness of using robotics and virtual world programming as a meaningful and …

Hunter-GatHerer Game: uno strumento simulativo dei comportamenti di caccia/raccolta nel mondo paleolitico

2013

In this paper we present the Hunter-Gatherer Game, a computer simulation of an environment where the individual and group survival depends on the ability to capture a prey or to find edible vegetables. The instrument is based on the Darwinian Hunter-Gatherer Theory stating that, during the Palaeolithic age, natural selection designed different gender preferences for foraging strategies (hunting in men and gathering in women), which are still sculpted in our modern brains. At present we are using the Hunter-Gatherer Game in order to experimentally test the above-mentioned theory, even though it also encompasses a number of potential applications.

A nonlinear System Model of Retirement Behavior in Italy

2010

Smoothed Particle Electromagnetics Modelling on HPC-GRID Environment

2012

In this paper a meshless approach on a high performance grid computing environment to run fast onerous electromagnetic numerical simulations, is presented. The grid computing and the message passing interface standard have been employed to improve the computational efficiency of the Smoothed Particle Electromagnetics meshless solver adopted. Applications involving an high number of particles can run on a grid computational environment simulating complex domains not accessible before and offer a promising approach for the coupling of particle models to continuous models. The used meshless solver is straightforward to program and fully parallelizable. The results of the parallel numerical sch…

Turning a business idea into a real business through an entrepreneurial learning approach based on dynamic start-up business model simulators

2017

In this paper we argue that the use of System Dynamics modelling applied to Business Model design and representation may result in an entrepreneurial learning approach to support potential entrepreneurs in exploring and learn how a business operates and reacts according to alternative strategic choices. As such, a Dynamic Business Modelling approach provides useful insights to start-up entrepreneurs learning processes by capturing and explaining how critical Business Model elements interact to produce enduring competitive advantages over time.

DESIGNING OUTCOME-BASED PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS THROUGH SYSTEM DYNAMICS MODELLING TO FRAME CORRUPTION BEHAVIOUR IN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT

Corruption is one of the most significant problems facing Serbia. While there are some signs that corruption may have become less rampant in recent years, available evidence suggests that corruption levels are still high while trust in key institutions is low (European Commission, 2014). This phenomenon is ubiquitous and has serious consequences on a country’s public welfare. Numerous conducted studies have mainly focused on specific characteristics such as economic issues, legal issues, social propositions, impact on national development, and about economic policy. The rationale of this research is to concentrate on a specific Anti-Hail Public Service provider in Serbia by not only explori…

Prevention and Mitigation of Rural Higher Education Dropout in Colombia: A Dynamic Performance Management Approach.

2023

Background: Dropout in higher education is a socio-educational phenomenon that has the scope to limit the benefits of education as well as to widen social disparities. For this reason, governments have implemented various public policies for its prevention and mitigation. However, in rural populations, such policies have proven to be ineffective. The aim of this paper is to simulate public policy scenarios for the treatment of school dropout in rural higher education in Colombia from a Dynamic Performance Management approach. Methodology: To achieve the aim, a parameterised simulation model was designed with data from Colombian state entities in rural higher education. Five simulations were…

Tackling wicked issues in performance management and governance of health prevention: an empirical analysis of vaccination strategies in Italy

Performance management (PM) in the public sector is a research stream that grasped much of the attention of public administration and management scholars in the last decade (Bouckaert & Halligan, 2007; Hall, 2017; Douglas & Ansell, 2020). This is mainly related to the ever-evolving context in which PM regimes apply. Our society and its current challenges are indeed growing in complexity so that these last have been defined by modern literature as “wicked” (Rittel & Weber, 1973; Head & Alford, 2015). Wicked does not mean “evil” but it refers to the impossibility to share an understanding of societal problems and their definition. According to Head & Alford (2015),“wickedn…

Analyzing Business Dynamics of Ride-Hailing Services: A DPM Approach Applied to Uber Inc.

2018

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore business dynamics of a rising ride-hailing service industry through case study and foster understanding of hypothetical feedback effects within the broader system. Design/methodology/approach – The research adopts the dynamic performance management framework with simulation-based methodology for developing a dynamic case interpretation of specific type of business complexity. Findings – Scenario analysis shows that changes in the commission percentage for drivers, and cutting prices for customers (car hailers) by competitors have significant impacts on the car hailing industry. Research limitations – The findings of our analysis are limited …

Generalising Theories Explaining the Different Modes of SME Development and the Associated Growth Trajectories

2010

Previous research has identified two forms of “abnormal” growth – styled as business dwarfism and gigantism - which can both lead to missed opportunities for owners/entrepreneurs and local economies, and even to business crisis and collapse. It has also shown that stunted and inflated growth phenomena, rather than being characterised by completely different rules and rationales, are closely related and that certain fundamental structures and processes underpin both those forms of ab-normal company growth behaviour. This paper reports an examination of a further SME phenomenon – what we have chosen to call "micro-giants". These are companies that would be categorised as rela-tively small fir…