The european higher education area at work: Lights and shadows defining continuous assessment

The aim of this paper is to analyse how learning assessment, particularly the Continuous Assessment system, has been defined in the Public Administration and Management Diploma Course of the University of Barcelona (Spain). This course was a pioneering experiment at this university in implementing the guidelines of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), and thus represents a good case study for verifying whether one of the cornerstones of the EHEA has been accomplished with success. Using data obtained from the Teaching Plans elaborated by the lecturers of each subject, we are able to establish that the CA system has been progressively accepted to such an extent that it is now the assessment formula used by practically all of the lecturers, conforming in this way to the protocols laid down by the Faculty of Law in which this diploma course is taught. Nevertheless, we find that high dispersion exists in how Continuous Assessment is actually defined. Indeed, it seems that there is no unified view of how Continuous Assessment should be performed. This dispersion, however, seems to diminish over time and raises some questions about the advisability of agreement on criteria, considering the potential which CA has as a pedagogical tool. Moreover, we find that the Unique Assessment system, which students may also apply for, is an option chosen only by a minority, with lecturers usually defining it as merely a theoretical and/or practical test, of little innovation in relation to traditional tests.

An experience beyond continuous assessment activities: virtual tour to the medieval medicinal plant garden of the Pedralbes monastery

[eng] The group of teaching innovation in the area of Botany (GIBAF), University of Barcelona (UB), is raised each year to design new accreditation activities under continuous evaluation framework. We present the experience carried out during the academic year 2008-09 in the course of Pharmaceutical Botany. The aim has been to involve students for a semester in the authorship of a tutored project immediately useful and of easy permanence, beyond its assessment proving usefulness. The Medicinal Plants Garden of the Monastery of Pedralbes has been used as a resource and a collaboration agreement has been signed between the UB faculty and the Institute of Culture of Barcelona. The students have developed the work using the Moodle platform CampusvirtualUB into five stages which included preparation of files by students that have been modified in some steps following the various feedbacks from teachers. At the beginning of the activity, students were provided with a complete schedule of activities, the schedule for its implementation, and a total of 18 forced-use library resources. Finally, through Google sites, a website has been implemented, allowing for a virtual tour of the garden, documenting by referenced literature 50 medicinal plants for their nomenclature, botanical description, distribution, uses historical, current and future) and toxicity. The result of the activity was presented at a public ceremony in the Monastery of Pedralbes and is available at: http://sites.google.com/site/jardimedievalpedralbes/ [spa] El grupo de innovación docente integrado por profesores del área de Botánica (GIBAF) de la Universidad de Barcelona (UB) se plantea cada curso el diseño de nuevas actividades acreditativas en el marco de la evaluación continuada. Se presenta la experiencia llevada a cabo durante el curso 2008-09 en la asignatura Botánica Farmacéutica. El objetivo ha sido implicar durante un semestre a los estudiantes en la autoría de un proyecto tutorizado de inmediata utilidad y clara perdurabilidad, más allá de su utilidad acreditativa. Como recurso se ha utilizado el Jardín de Plantas Medicinales del Monasterio de Pedralbes y se ha firmado un convenio de colaboración docente entre la UB y el Instituto de Cultura de Barcelona. Los estudiantes han realizado el trabajo utilizando la plataforma Moodle del Campus virtual de la UB en cinco etapas que han incluido la confección de unas fichas que se han ido modificando en función de las diversas retroacciones de los profesores. Al inicio de la actividad, se facilitó a los estudiantes el cronograma completo de la actividad, la pauta para su realización, así como un total de 18 recursos bibliográficos de uso obligado. Finalmente, a través de GoogleSites, se ha realizado una web que permite realizar un paseo virtual por el jardín, documentando de forma referenciada para las 50 plantas medicinales su nomenclatura, descripción botánica, distribución, usos (históricos, actuales y futuros) y toxicidad. El resultado de la actividad fue presentado en un acto público en el Monasterio de Pedralbes y puede consultarse en: http://sites.google.com/site/jardimedievalpedralbes/

Population ageing and ICT: An exploratory review of technology innovation trough digital applications

The multidimensional process of physical, psychological, and social change produced by population ageing affects not only the quality of life of elderly people but also of our societies. Some dimensions of population ageing grow and expand over time (e.g. knowledge of the world events, or experience in particular situations), while others decline (e.g. reaction time, physical and psychological strength, or other functional abilities like reduced speed and tiredness). Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can help elderly to overcome possible limitations due to ageing. As a particular case, biometrics can allow the development of new algorithms for early detection of cognitive impairments, by processing continuous speech, handwriting or other challenged abilities. Among all possibilities, digital applications (Apps) for mobile phones or tablets can allow the dissemination of such tools. In this article, after presenting and discussing the process of population ageing and its social implications, we explore how ICTs through different Apps can lead to new solutions for facing this major demographic challenge.

Launching the product innovation to a market: case study from a dairy industry

In the environment of ever-changing needs of customers, technologies and competitors, the survival of the company depends on how well it researches, develops and implements new products to the market. The need for development of new products relates to many factors: globalization, international competition which is now underway on a global scale, scientific advances and development of production, changes in consumer preferences and consumer behavior. In this study the focus is on the company form a dairy products industry. This study is aimed to defining the role of product innovation launch strategy in an overall enterprise strategy, and to select the optimal combination of its marketing tools. The main purpose of this study is to determine place and the role of innovative marketing based in the innovation process, and to determine launch and positioning strategies in the general concept of an innovative product. The object of the study is the Russian enterprise, which is aimed to achieve a competitive advantage through the continuous production of new products, upgrade existing ones and improve innovation management practices. Research showed that the differentiation strategy is suitable for launching the dairy industry product innovation to a market.

Open innovation: university-industry interaction in Russia

Innovation nowadays is one of the key elements of counties’ competitiveness. In the face of continuous world economic changes, open innovation business model implementation allows many companies to improve and accelerate their innovation processes through collaboration. Universities as traditional sources of knowledge might be involved in such kind of collaboration. In developing countries, which are in transition towards innovation-based economy, as Russia, open innovation business model can serve as a tool to speed up this transition. The Master’s Thesis explores the implementation of open innovation model in collaboration between companies and universities in global scale and particularly in Russia. The study is qualitative and it is based on integrative analysis of literature, secondary data and results of the survey, conducted among Russian universities. In the thesis a model for implementation of open innovation into Triple Helix model is elaborated. The study also explores not very common practice of reverse-directional interaction - from industry to university. The findings of this research show a necessity of solving the identified problems in parallel with implementation of open innovation concept in university-industry collaboration.

Roles of leadership in complex environments : Enhancing Knowledge Flows in Organisational Constellations through Practice-Based Innovation Processes

Global challenges, complexity and continuous uncertainty demand development of leadership approaches, employees and multi-organisation constellations. Current leadership theories do not sufficiently address the needs of complex business environments. First of all, before successful leadership models can be applied in practice, leadership needs to shift from the industrial age to the knowledge era. Many leadership models still view leadership solely through the perspective of linear process thinking. In addition, there is not enough knowledge or experience in applying these newer models in practice. Leadership theories continue to be based on the assumption that leaders possess or have access to all the relevant knowledge and capabilities to decide future directions without external advice. In many companies, however, the workforce consists of skilled professionals whose work and related interfaces are so challenging that the leaders cannot grasp all the linked viewpoints and cross-impacts alone. One of the main objectives of this study is to understand how to support participants in organisations and their stakeholders to, through practice-based innovation processes, confront various environments. Another aim is to find effective ways of recognising and reacting to diverse contexts, so companies and other stakeholders are better able to link to knowledge flows and shared value creation processes in advancing joint value to their customers. The main research question of this dissertation is, then, to seek understanding of how to enhance leadership in complex environments. The dissertation can, on the whole, be characterised as a qualitative multiple-case study. The research questions and objectives were investigated through six studies published in international scientific journals. The main methods applied were interviews, action research and a survey. The empirical focus was on Finnish companies, and the research questions were examined in various organisations at the top levels (leaders and managers) and bottom levels (employees) in the context of collaboration between organisations and cooperation between case companies and their client organisations. However, the emphasis of the analysis is the internal and external aspects of organisations, which are conducted in practice-based innovation processes. The results of this study suggest that the Cynefin framework, complexity leadership theory and transformational leadership represent theoretical models applicable to developing leadership through practice-based innovation. In and of themselves, they all support confronting contemporary challenges, but an implementable method for organisations may be constructed by assimilating them into practice-based innovation processes. Recognition of diverse environments, their various contexts and roles in the activities and collaboration of organisations and their interest groups is ever-more important to achieving better interaction in which a strategic or formal status may be bypassed. In innovation processes, it is not necessarily the leader who is in possession of the essential knowledge; thus, it is the role of leadership to offer methods and arenas where different actors may generate advances. Enabling and supporting continuous interaction and integrated knowledge flows is of crucial importance, to achieve emergence of innovations in the activities of organisations and various forms of collaboration. The main contribution of this dissertation relates to applying these new conceptual models in practice. Empirical evidence on the relevance of different leadership roles in practice-based innovation processes in Finnish companies is another valuable contribution. Finally, the dissertation sheds light on the significance of combining complexity science with leadership and innovation theories in research.

An Extension to the Tactical Planning Model for a Job Shop: Continuous-Time Control

We develop an extension to the tactical planning model (TPM) for a job shop by the third author. The TPM is a discrete-time model in which all transitions occur at the start of each time period. The time period must be defined appropriately in order for the model to be meaningful. Each period must be short enough so that a job is unlikely to travel through more than one station in one period. At the same time, the time period needs to be long enough to justify the assumptions of continuous workflow and Markovian job movements. We build an extension to the TPM that overcomes this restriction of period sizing by permitting production control over shorter time intervals. We achieve this by deriving a continuous-time linear control rule for a single station. We then determine the first two moments of the production level and queue length for the workstation.

Room-temperature continuous-wave operation of GaInNAs/GaAs quantum dot laser with GaAsN barrier grown by solid source molecular beam epitaxy

We present the results of GaInNAs/GaAs quantum dot structures with GaAsN barrier layers grown by solid source molecular beam epitaxy. Extension of the emission wavelength of GaInNAs quantum dots by ~170nm was observed in samples with GaAsN barriers in place of GaAs. However, optimization of the GaAsN barrier layer thickness is necessary to avoid degradation in luminescence intensity and structural property of the GaInNAs dots. Lasers with GaInNAs quantum dots as active layer were fabricated and room-temperature continuous-wave lasing was observed for the first time. Lasing occurs via the ground state at ~1.2μm, with threshold current density of 2.1kA/cm[superscript 2] and maximum output power of 16mW. These results are significantly better than previously reported values for this quantum-dot system.

Learning across business sectors: facets of innovation in aerospace and construction

Innovation is notoriously difficult to define and is invariably intertwined with issues of knowledge creation, continuous improvement and organisational change. An extensive literature classifies numerous types of innovation and militates against any simplistic attempt at definition. It is widely accepted that innovation is at least partly dependent upon the surrounding environment. Industry recipes and institutionally embedded practices shape the environment within which innovation occurs. Recent research directions have addressed the diffusion of innovation and its dependence upon social and institutional structures. In this respect, it is highly pertinent to compare the way that innovation is interpreted and enacted in different industrial sectors. The comparison between UK aerospace and construction is especially revealing because the two sectors are so different and therefore constitute radically different climates for innovation. Empirical research is reported based on semi-structured interviews with practitioners from both sectors. Interpretations of innovation are found to differ dramatically between aerospace and construction. Within the context of an ongoing struggle to define innovation, both industries are striving to become more innovative. The aerospace sector is found to emphasise technical innovation whereas the construction sector emphasises process innovation. An overriding cultural bias in Western economies towards technological innovation results in the common perception that aerospace is much more innovative than construction. The experienced realities of practitioners in the two sectors are much more complex.

Study of the innovation management process in the development of a discontinuous product case: Motorola RAZR V3

This study will collaborate by bringing some detailed analysis and findings on a special case study of a discontinuous product development process, trying to answer how the discontinuous product development process takes place and the main factors that influence this process. Additionally, it tried to explore some explanations for the difficulties generally faced by the companies to sustain innovation. The case is about the Motorola cell phone RAZR V3, launched in 2004. RAZR V3 was noted by industry experts as game-changing feat of design and engineering, selling more than 110 million units by end of 2008 and recognized as one of the fastest selling products in the industry. The study uses a single case methodology, which is appropriate given the access to a phenomenon that happened inside corporate dominium and it is not easily accessed for academic studies, besides being a rare case of success in the cellular phone industry. In order to magnify the understanding of the phenomenon, the exploration was extended to contrast the RAZR development process and the standard product development process in Motorola. Additionally, it was integrated a longitudinal reflection of the company product development evolution until the next breakthrough product hitting the cellular phone industry. The result of the analysis shows that discontinuous products do not fit well traditional product development process (in this case, stage-gate). This result reinforces the results obtained on previous studies of discontinuous product development conducted by other authors. Therefore, it is clear that the dynamics of discontinuous product development are different from the continuous product development, requiring different treatment to succeed. Moreover, this study highlighted the importance of the management influence in all the phases of the process as one of the most important factors, suggesting a key component to be carefully observed in future researches. Some other findings of the study that were considered very important for a discontinuous product development process: have champions (who believe and protect the project) and not only one champion; create a right atmosphere to make flow the creative process; question paradigms to create discontinuous products; simple guiding light to focus the team; company culture that accepts and knows how to deal with risks; and undoubtedly, have a company strategy that understands the different dynamics of continuous and discontinuous product development processes and treat them accordingly.

Dynamics of a continuous flash fermentation for butanol production

The ABE (acetone, butanol, ethanol) fermentation is characterized by its low productivity. In this paper, this issue is overcome with an innovative industrial process that employs the flash fermentation technology. The process consists of three interconnected units, as follows: fermentor, cell retention system (tangential microfiltration) and vacuum flash vessel (responsible for the continuous recovery of butanol from the broth). The dynamic behaviour of the process is described by a nonlinear mathematical model with kinetic parameters determined experimentally. From simulations of the mathematical model the dynamic characteristics of the process were investigated. Analyzes of the open-loop dynamic behavior of the process, after step perturbations in the manipulated variables, determined the best control structures for the process. Copyright © 2010, AIDIC Servizi S.r.l.

Global simulated soil biogenic nitric oxide (NO) emissions: Impact, improvement and innovation

rnNitric oxide (NO) is important for several chemical processes in the atmosphere. Together with nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ) it is better known as nitrogen oxide (NOx ). NOx is crucial for the production and destruction of ozone. In several reactions it catalyzes the oxidation of methane and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and in this context it is involved in the cycling of the hydroxyl radical (OH). OH is a reactive radical, capable of oxidizing most organic species. Therefore, OH is also called the “detergent” of the atmosphere. Nitric oxide originates from several sources: fossil fuel combustion, biomass burning, lightning and soils. Fossil fuel combustion is the largest source. The others are, depending on the reviewed literature, generally comparable to each other. The individual sources show a different temporal and spatial pattern in their magnitude of emission. Fossil fuel combustion is important in densely populated places, where NO from other sources is less important. In contrast NO emissions from soils (hereafter SNOx) or biomass burning are the dominant source of NOx in remote regions.rnBy applying an atmospheric chemistry global climate model (AC-GCM) I demonstrate that SNOx is responsible for a significant part of NOx in the atmosphere. Furthermore, it increases the O3 and OH mixing ratio substantially, leading to a ∼10% increase in the oxidizing efficiency of the atmosphere. Interestingly, through reduced O3 and OH mixing ratios in simulations without SNOx, the lifetime of NOx increases in regions with other dominating sources of NOx

Enabling knowledge creation through outsiders: towards a push model of open innovation

Open innovation is increasingly being adopted in business and describes a situation in which firms exchange ideas and knowledge with external participants, such as customers, suppliers, partner firms, and universities. This article extends the concept of open innovation with a push model of open innovation: knowledge is voluntarily created outside a firm by individuals and organisations who proceed to push knowledge into a firm’s open innovation project. For empirical analysis, we examine source code and newsgroup data on the Eclipse Development Platform. We find that outsiders invest as much in the firm’s project as the founding firm itself. Based on the insights from Eclipse, we develop four propositions: ‘preemptive generosity’ of a firm, ‘continuous commitment’, ‘adaptive governance structure’, and ‘low entry barrier’ are contexts that enable the push model of open innovation.

Winner-Take-All Contention of Innovation under Globalization: A Simulation Analysis and East Asia's Empirics

This paper sets out to examine how innovation enhances export competitiveness: The proposition that export volume becomes enhanced as more productivity-enhancing innovation is captured by the exporting economy is the focus of this study. From a Schumpeterian perspective, innovation can be characterized by continuous creation and subsequent diffusion of newer technologies on the basis of the exporters' existing capital stock. Then we highlight the theoretical possibility that concentration of innovative activities in a small group of "winner" economies would lead to larger shares of "winner" economies' exports of innovation-active commodities than those commodities for which technology involved is already mature. The world's export data corroborates this theoretical prediction overall, and a focus upon East Asia has revealed the region's increasing resort to technology-intensive commodity sectors, which has presumably been enabled through attracting technology-bearing inward foreign direct investment. Considering the overall gains from innovation, acceleration of full "cycle" of innovation and imitation might be a desirable option.

Development and implementation of a virtual laboratory for training process improvement in the mechanics of continuous media

The project arises from the need to develop improved teaching methodologies in field of the mechanics of continuous media. The objective is to offer the student a learning process to acquire the necessary theoretical knowledge, cognitive skills and the responsibility and autonomy to professional development in this area. Traditionally the teaching of the concepts of these subjects was performed through lectures and laboratory practice. During these lessons the students attitude was usually passive, and therefore their effectiveness was poor. The proposed methodology has already been successfully employed in universities like University Bochum, Germany, University the South Australia and aims to improve the effectiveness of knowledge acquisition through use by the student of a virtual laboratory. This laboratory allows to adapt the curricula and learning techniques to the European Higher Education and improve current learning processes in the University School of Public Works Engineers -EUITOP- of the Technical University of Madrid -UPM-, due there are not laboratories in this specialization. The virtual space is created using a software platform built on OpenSim, manages 3D virtual worlds, and, language LSL -Linden Scripting Language-, which imprints specific powers to objects. The student or user can access this virtual world through their avatar -your character in the virtual world- and can perform practices within the space created for the purpose, at any time, just with computer with internet access and viewfinder. The virtual laboratory has three partitions. The virtual meeting rooms, where the avatar can interact with peers, solve problems and exchange existing documentation in the virtual library. The interactive game room, where the avatar is has to resolve a number of issues in time. And the video room where students can watch instructional videos and receive group lessons. Each audiovisual interactive element is accompanied by explanations framing it within the area of knowledge and enables students to begin to acquire a vocabulary and practice of the profession for which they are being formed. Plane elasticity concepts are introduced from the tension and compression testing of test pieces of steel and concrete. The behavior of reticulated and articulated structures is reinforced by some interactive games and concepts of tension, compression, local and global buckling will by tests to break articulated structures. Pure bending concepts, simple and composite torsion will be studied by observing a flexible specimen. Earthquake resistant design of buildings will be checked by a laboratory test video.