Supporting multi-organisational collaborative groups in the public sector

In this paper, the issues that arise in multi-organisational collaborative groups (MOCGs) in the public sector are discussed and how a technology-based group support system (GSS) could assist individuals within these groups. MOCGs are commonly used in the public sector to find solutions to multifaceted social problems. Finding solutions for such problems is difficult because their scope is outside the boundary of a single government agency. The standard approach to solving such problems is collaborative involving a diverse range of stakeholders. Collaborative working can be advantageous but it also introduces its own pressures. Conflicts can arise due to the multiple contexts and goals of group members and the organisations that they represent. Trust, communication and a shared interface are crucial to making any significant progress. A GSS could support these elements.

Mean flow and turbulence statistics over groups of urban-like cubical obstacles

Direct numerical simulations of turbulent flow over regular arrays of urban-like, cubical obstacles are reported. Results are analysed in terms of a formal spatial averaging procedure to enable interpretation of the flow within the arrays as a canopy flow, and of the flow above as a rough wall boundary layer. Spatial averages of the mean velocity, turbulent stresses and pressure drag are computed. The statistics compare very well with data from wind-tunnel experiments. Within the arrays the time-averaged flow structure gives rise to significant 'dispersive stress' whereas above the Reynolds stress dominates. The mean flow structure and turbulence statistics depend significantly on the layout of the cubes. Unsteady effects are important, especially in the lower canopy layer where turbulent fluctuations dominate over the mean flow.

An investigation into factors affecting the occupational choices of nominated farm heirs in Ireland

The resilience of family farming is an important feature of the structure of the farming industry in many countries, due largely to the 'smooth' succession of farms from one generation to the next. The stability of this structure is now threatened by the widening gap between the income expected from farming when compared with non-farming occupations in an economy like Ireland, operating at almost full employment. Nominated farm heirs are increasingly unlikely to choose full-time farming as their preferred occupation. To identify the factors that affect this occupational choice, a multinomial logit model is developed and applied to Irish data to examine the farm, economic and personal characteristics that influence a nominated heir's decision to enter farming as opposed to some non-farming occupation. The results show a significant negative relationship between higher education and the choice of full-time farming as an occupation. The interdependence between education and occupational choices is further explored using a bivariate probit model. The main findings are: the occupational choice and the decision to continue with higher education are made jointly; the nominated heirs on more profitable farms are less likely to pursue tertiary education and therefore more likely to enter full-time farming. The model developed is sufficiently general for studying the phenomenon of succession on farms.

The role of protecting groups in the formation of organogels through a nano-fibrillar network formed by self-assembling terminally protected tripeptides

A series of eight synthetic self-assembling terminally blocked tripeptides have been studied for gelation. Some of them form gels in various aromatic solvents including benzene, toluene, xylene, and chlorobenzene. It has been found that the protecting groups play an important role in the formation of organogels. It has been observed that, if the C-terminal has been changed from methyl ester to ethyl ester the gelation property does not change significantly (keeping the N-terminal protecting group same), while the change of the protecting group from ethyl ester to isopropyl ester completely abolishes the gelation property. Similarly, keeping the identical C-terminal protecting group (methyl ester) the results of the gelation study indicate that the substitution of N-terminal protection Boc-(tert-butyloxycarbonyl) to Cbz-(benzyloxycarbonyl) does change the gelation property insignificantly, while the change from Boc- to pivaloyl (Piv-) or acetyl (Ac-) group completely eliminates the gelation property. Morphological studies of the dried gels of two of the peptides indicate the presence of an entangled nano-fibrillar network that might be responsible for gelation. FTIR studies of the gels demonstrate that an intermolecular hydrogen bonding network is formed during gelation. Results of X-ray powder diffraction studies for these gelator peptides in different states (dried gels, gel, and bulk solids) reflected that the structure in the wet gel is distinctly different from the dried gel and solid state structures. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies of a non-gelator peptide, which is structurally similar to the gelator molecules reveal that the peptide forms an antiparallel beta-sheet structure in crystals. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.