Search results for "USA"
showing 10 items of 3178 documents
A model of goal dynamics in technology-based organizations
2011
The purpose of the present work is to build a suitable system dynamics model for goal dynamics in organizations, as proposed by Barlas and Yasarcan (2008). The proposed model does not bear any ambition of being exhaustive: the main objective of this paper is to propose a model of goal dynamics in which Goal Setting, Management by Objectives and Training are viewed as human resource practices able to enhance workers' goal commitment, and therefore, improve organizational performance. In the first part of this paper, an analysis of the Goal Setting Theory and the role of goal setting practices, in bettering worker's performance, are stressed. In the second part, a case-study, the causal loop …
Hold design supports learning and transfer of climbing fluency
2014
Being a discipline with a broad range of genres, rock climbing is an activity where participants seek to generalize the skills they learn in different performance contexts. A training strategy for achieving skill transfer was explored in a group of experienced climbers. Specifically, we tested the effect of practising on three routes, each of the same difficulty, but where handholds supported opportunities for using either a single technical action or multiple actions. Transfer of climbing fluidity in terms of the geometric index of entropy (GIE) of the hip trajectory was then assessed. We expected that learning would be induced on the route where multiple actions were usable. Results revea…
A proposal to elicit usability requirements within a model-driven development environment
2014
[EN] Nowadays there are sound Model-Driven Development (MDD) methods that deal with functional requirements, but in general, usability is not considered from the early stages of the development. Analysts that work with MDD implement usability features manually once the code has been generated. This manual implementation contradicts the MDD paradigm and it may involve much rework. This paper proposes a method to elicit usability requirements at early stages of the software development process such a way non-experts at usability can use it. The approach consists of organizing several interface design guidelines and usability guidelines in a tree structure. These guidelines are shown to the an…
Multimedia applications in industrial networks: integration of image processing in profibus
2003
This paper analyzes the transmission of images through Profibus for applications concerned with the processing of images integrated in control systems, by means of a detailed study of two real cases with different bandwidth requirements. We analyze the special features of an artificial vision system making use of Profibus as a transport system, the scheduling of the traffic in order to guarantee the delivery of the images and the control traffic before their deadlines, the protocol used, and the compression techniques usable in this kind of system, which enable us to reduce the necessary bandwidth for the applications without degrading the operation of the image processing application. We p…
Automatic Computation of Local Comfort Conditions in Buildings
2000
Publisher Summary A method for the automatic calculation of local comfort conditions in moderate indoor environment is been described in this chapter. It provides, among its output features, graphical maps of the PMV patterns. The program has been implemented on the commonly used operating system, and is characterized by a friendly usability, even by noncomputer expert users. The output of the code can be obtained not only in a graphical way but also in numerical formats. By using the program in conjunction with computer codes that provide the energy demand for climatization of buildings, it would be possible to evaluate the energy savings achieved in correspondence with the various adopted…
Efficient CAD of Optimal Multi-Port Junctions Loaded with Partial-Height Cylindrical Posts using the 3D BI-RME Method
2005
A rigorous full-wave technique based on the 3D BI-RME (Boundary Integral-Resonant Mode Expansion) method for the analysis and design of compensated waveguide junctions is presented. This method is used to investigate the electrical performance of right-angled bends and rectangular waveguide T-junctions loaded with partial-height cylindrical posts, with the aim of extending the typical usable bandwidths of such components. It is found that the electrical performance of a two-way power divider can be significantly improved by considering a post displaced along the symmetry plane of the structure. Therefore, this contribution reveals a new crucial design parameter not considered in previous wo…
Developing a Knowledge Base about the Technological Forces within the Asymmetric Incremental Forming Process
2015
Asymmetric single point incremental forming (ASPIF) has been recognized as a solution with potential in manufacturing small batches or single sheet metal parts. The approach presented in this paper presents the development of a knowledge base regarding the values of the technological force within the ASPIF process and the influence of some technological parameters such as feed, speed of the punch, thickness of the part and step, upon them. The method is based on the use of the information provided by the CNC machine sensors. Relationships between the torques developed by the drive motors on each axes and the technological forces will be set in order to refine the raw information displayed o…
Exploring individual personality factors as drivers of M‐shopping acceptance
2009
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate how personality variables related to technology (innovativeness, compatibility and affinity) can modify the influence of classical technology acceptance model (TAM) variables on behavioural adoption intention of mobile shopping.Design/methodology/approachThe impact of innovativeness, compatibility, affinity, TAM beliefs (ease of use and usefulness) and attitude on mobile shopping adoption is tested through structural equation modelling techniques. The sample consisted of 470 Spanish mobile telephone users selected on the basis of convenience.FindingsData analysis shows that the effect of perceived usefulness and, in a minor degree, perceived e…
Note: Critical Factors in Opening Pharmaceutical Packages: a Usability Study among Healthcare Workers, Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Elderly Wo…
2016
This cross-sectional study compared the usability of pharmaceutical packages to determine the critical factors involved in packages with different opening mechanisms. Four packaging types (a bottle with a screw cap, a box with a pill plate, disposable plastic droppers with a container and a jar with a hinge cap) were evaluated by 45 women (nurses, older women and women with rheumatoid arthritis). Usability was evaluated for subjective measures related to the ease of opening and for objective measures related to the time needed to open the packaging, electrical muscular activity (electromyography, EMG) and ranges of motion of the upper extremities. Of the arthritic women, 13% were unable to …
Multicriteria evaluation of heating choices for a new sustainable residential area
2015
Abstract The city of Loviisa in Finland is planning a new sustainable residential area with a total of 240,000 m2 of residential houses and apartment buildings with services. The city wants to promote sustainable energy solutions in the area, considering various renewable energy forms for heating. The aim of this research is to evaluate which heating system would be best for a new single-family house when different technical, economic, environmental and usability criteria are considered. A group of experts evaluated the alternative heating systems with respect to the criteria. The citizens were involved with a questionnaire to provide preference information for different criteria. Altogethe…