A study on the quality of life of the members of self help groups assisted by non-governmental organisations in Kerala

School of Management Studies, CUSAT

Palestinian Non-Governmental Organisations caught between Reality and Challenges

Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) have not only gained more and more relevance in the development process of Near Eastern developing societies, but they have also raised an increasing scholarly interest. The traditional civil society in the Middle East, which used to be in charge of the tribe or large families, has been altered by new groups, which are organized around new social structures, interests and goals. The number of NGOs has experienced a swift increase in number and size, and the extent of some renders them important players in the social welfare sector, both at the national and global levels. The expansion and the increasing role of NGOs worldwide since the end of the 1970s as actors in socio-economic development and in the formulation of public policies has had great influence around the globe. However, this new function is not automatically the outcome of independent activity; but rather the result of ramified relationships between the national and international environment.

From evolution to co-evolution – An empirical study of the role of innovation, policy and public research in industrial dynamics

In the past decades since Schumpeter’s influential writings economists have pursued research to examine the role of innovation in certain industries on firm as well as on industry level. Researchers describe innovations as the main trigger of industry dynamics, while policy makers argue that research and education are directly linked to economic growth and welfare. Thus, research and education are an important objective of public policy. Firms and public research are regarded as the main actors which are relevant for the creation of new knowledge. This knowledge is finally brought to the market through innovations. What is more, policy makers support innovations. Both actors, i.e. policy makers and researchers, agree that innovation plays a central role but researchers still neglect the role that public policy plays in the field of industrial dynamics. Therefore, the main objective of this work is to learn more about the interdependencies of innovation, policy and public research in industrial dynamics. The overarching research question of this dissertation asks whether it is possible to analyze patterns of industry evolution – from evolution to co-evolution – based on empirical studies of the role of innovation, policy and public research in industrial dynamics. This work starts with a hypothesis-based investigation of traditional approaches of industrial dynamics. Namely, the testing of a basic assumption of the core models of industrial dynamics and the analysis of the evolutionary patterns – though with an industry which is driven by public policy as example. Subsequently it moves to a more explorative approach, investigating co-evolutionary processes. The underlying questions of the research include the following: Do large firms have an advantage because of their size which is attributable to cost spreading? Do firms that plan to grow have more innovations? What role does public policy play for the evolutionary patterns of an industry? Are the same evolutionary patterns observable as those described in the ILC theories? And is it possible to observe regional co-evolutionary processes of science, innovation and industry evolution? Based on two different empirical contexts – namely the laser and the photovoltaic industry – this dissertation tries to answer these questions and combines an evolutionary approach with a co-evolutionary approach. The first chapter starts with an introduction of the topic and the fields this dissertation is based on. The second chapter provides a new test of the Cohen and Klepper (1996) model of cost spreading, which explains the relationship between innovation, firm size and R&D, at the example of the photovoltaic industry in Germany. First, it is analyzed whether the cost spreading mechanism serves as an explanation for size advantages in this industry. This is related to the assumption that the incentives to invest in R&D increase with the ex-ante output. Furthermore, it is investigated whether firms that plan to grow will have more innovative activities. The results indicate that cost spreading serves as an explanation for size advantages in this industry and, furthermore, growth plans lead to higher amount of innovative activities. What is more, the role public policy plays for industry evolution is not finally analyzed in the field of industrial dynamics. In the case of Germany, the introduction of demand inducing policy instruments stimulated market and industry growth. While this policy immediately accelerated market volume, the effect on industry evolution is more ambiguous. Thus, chapter three analyzes this relationship by considering a model of industry evolution, where demand-inducing policies will be discussed as a possible trigger of development. The findings suggest that these instruments can take the same effect as a technical advance to foster the growth of an industry and its shakeout. The fourth chapter explores the regional co-evolution of firm population size, private-sector patenting and public research in the empirical context of German laser research and manufacturing over more than 40 years from the emergence of the industry to the mid-2000s. The qualitative as well as quantitative evidence is suggestive of a co-evolutionary process of mutual interdependence rather than a unidirectional effect of public research on private-sector activities. Chapter five concludes with a summary, the contribution of this work as well as the implications and an outlook of further possible research.

Tecnología industrial I : una ventana abierta a la investigación y experimentación en bachillerato.

Se presenta memoria final de proyecto educativo que propone la estructuración de los bloques temáticos de la asignatura de tecnología industrial I perteneciente al bachillerato tecnológico, a través de dos grandes centros de interés, uno de ellos estará basado en el azulejo sevillano y el otro en el aprovechamiento energético del sol. Se realiza en el IES Pablo Picasso en Sevilla. Los objetivos son: superar el anquilosamiento de un sistema excesivamente teórico; despertar el interés por el derecho que asiste a los pueblos a conocer a su cultura, valorando nuestro patrimonio tecnológico como bien social e irrenunciable; promover un proceso de aprendizaje en la línea de 'aprender a aprender'; aproximar al alumno a un contexto sociolocacional cultural de su entorno; despertar en el alumnado interés por la experimentación y la investigación; permitir un acercamiento globalizador o interdisciplinar con otras áreas; fomentar y ejercitar la creatividad, la capacidad de diseño, organización a nivel grupal e ingenio investigando y construyendo artilugios con materiales de desecho; habilitar a adquirir conocimientos también fuera del aula; descubrir con ambas propuestas las posibilidades de integración laboral; contribuir a que el alumnado tengan cabezas bien hechas que no bien llenas. El proceso consta de varias fases: aproximación, conocimiento, implicación y aportaciones; organización por grupos, asumir roles, directrices a seguir; concreción de contenidos; de desarrollo, salidas diversas, recogida de información; elaboración y organización de 'carpetas-dossier'; elaboración de documentos resumen; revisión y montaje de documentos definitivos; presentación de trabajos.

Lean Transition of Emerging Industrial Capability

This volume of the final report documents the technical work performed from December 1998 through December 2002 under Cooperative Agreement F33615-97-2-5153 executed between the U.S. Air Force, Air Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Manufacturing Technology Division (AFRL/MLM) and the McDonnell Douglas Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company. The work was accomplished by The Boeing Company, Phantom Works, Huntington Beach, St. Louis, and Seattle; Ford Motor Company; Integral Inc.; Sloan School of Management in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Pratt & Whitney; and Central State University in Xenia, Ohio and in association with Raytheon Corporation. The LeanTEC program manager for AFRL is John Crabill of AFRL / MLMP and The Boeing Company program manager is Ed Shroyer of Boeing Phantom Works in Huntington Beach, CA. Financial performance under this contract is documented in the Financial Volume of the final report.

La escuela del paternalismo industrial asturiano (1880-1936).

Conocer la intervención escolar y las realizaciones educativas del empresario minero asturiano. Método de investigación descriptivo de tipo histórico y retrospectivo que trata de analizar la intervención escolar y las realizaciones educativas del empresario minero asturiano entre 1880 y 1936. Las fuentes documentales de análisis proceden de los archivos de la empresa estatal HUNOSA y la empresa privada Duro-Felguera (Asturias). En la historia de la escolarización en la Asturias contemporánea ha sido determinante la actuación del empresario minero. Esta investigación histórica contribuye a comprender las claves, el sentido y alcance de tal contribución, centrándose en el análisis de su intervención escolar y socioeducativa desde la década de los ochenta del siglo XIX hasta el término de la II República, abordando el despliegue del programa educativo del paternalismo industrial. Un programa que preseguía configurar el nuevo trabajador industrial, sustentándose en la 'filantropía científica', que aconsejaba al patrón ocuparse de las provisiones sociales que atiende en el tiempo de no trabajo de la población obrera y el tiempo escolar y no escolar de la infancia. Entre estas provisiones, la escuela del paternalismo industrial, respondiendo exclusivamente a criterios de política patronal, tendrá una funcionalidad disciplinante e ideológica llevada a cabo por distintas órdenes y congregaciones religiosas, que realizarán también una intervención moralizadora en el ocio infantojuvenil y adulto, desplegando hacia ambos colectivos instituciones y espacios específicos de sociabilidad. De esta doble dimensión se ocupa ampliamente este texto, procediendo igualmente a cuantificar y periodizar el desarrollo del mapa escolar patronal, así como a analizar su incidencia tanto en la propia ordenación del territorio industrial como en el desarrollo de la red escolar pública.

Projectes (Enginyeria Industrial) [versió html]

Aquest llibre ha de permetre desenvolupar els criteris que ens permeten d'establir la metodologia de treball que s'ha de seguir en la redacció de Projectes. Tant des del punt de vista d'organització i de gestió, (pràctica i tècnica) i ha de garantir un correcte coneixement de tots i cadascun dels conceptes que intervenen i que permeten d'assolir el producte final: un document redactat pel projectista que recull l'objectiu pel qual ens ha estat encarregat i apte per fer-ne una realitat

Lean Transition of Emerging Industrial Capability (LeanTEC)

Lean Transition of Emerging Industrial Capability (LeanTEC) program was a cooperative agreement between the Boeing Company and AFRL conducted from January 1998 to January 2002. The results of this program are documented in the Manual for Effective Technology Transition Processes included as an attachment to this report. This manual provides processes, procedures, and tools for greatly improving technology transition in the aerospace industry. Methodology for the implementation of these improvements is given along with methods for customizing the various processes, procedures, and tools for a given company or business unit. The indicated methodology was tested by the LeanTEC team and results are documented in the report.

Industrial Relations and "Humanware"

This is a preliminary paper. Please do not quote without the permission of the author. The research on which this paper is based has been conducted with the collaboration of John Paul MacDuffie, MIT. The researchers owe much to the warm cooperation of managers, employees, and union officials of Japanese auto companies and joint venture companies in the U.S. as well as American auto companies and the UAW. We would like to express our sincere appreciation for their assistance.

Projectes (Enginyeria Industrial) [versió comprimida]

Aquest llibre ha de permetre desenvolupar els criteris que ens permeten d'establir la metodologia de treball que s'ha de seguir en la redacció de Projectes. Tant des del punt de vista d'organització i de gestió, (pràctica i tècnica) i ha de garantir un correcte coneixement de tots i cadascun dels conceptes que intervenen i que permeten d'assolir el producte final: un document redactat pel projectista que recull l'objectiu pel qual ens ha estat encarregat i apte per fer-ne una realitat

Creativitat industrial: quinze anys de projectes

L'exposició Creativitat industrial vol ser un reconeixement a la tasca de les persones que han participat en els estudis de Disseny Industrial: estudiants, professors i empreses. Els estudis de Disseny Industrial i Desenvolupament de Producte de la Universitat de Girona fan quinze anys i, en aquest temps, han estat molts els projectes que s’han convertit en realitat

Professionals: L'experiència de la inserció laboral d'un enginyer industrial acabat de titular

Sóc Aleix Avalos Sans, enginyer industrial titulat a la Universitat de Girona. Vaig finalitzar els estudis el gener del 2007. En aquest escrit us explico la meva experiència professional com a recent titulat de la UdG incidint especialment en la meva participació en un conveni universitat-empresa mentre estava finalitzant els estudis, cosa que em va facilitar posteriorment la meva ràpida i adient inserció al món laboral

Projecte constructiu d’una nau industrial

Definició d’una nau industrial per a magatzem frigorífic mitjançant la memòria tècnica, els plànols i els càlculs ubicada al terme municipal de Begur (Baix Empordà)