On Presence, Collective Performance and Assumptions of Causality

The ways we assume, observe and model “presence” and its effects are the focus in this paper. Entities with selectively shared presences are the basis of any collective, and of attributions (such as “humorous”, “efficient” or “intelligent”). The subtleties of any joint presence can markedly influence potentials, perceptions and performance of the collective as demonstrated when a humorous tale is counterpoised with disciplined thought. Disciplines build on presences assumed known or knowable while fluid and interpretable presences pervade humor. Explorations in this paper allow considerations of collectives, causality and the philosophy of computing. Economics has long considered issues of collective action in ways circumscribed by assumptions about the presence of economic entities. Such entities are deemed rational but they are clearly not intelligent. To reach its potential, collective intelligence research needs more adequate considerations of alternate presences and their impacts.

Coordination and collective performance : Cooperative goals boost interpersonal synchrony and task outcomes

Peer reviewed

Coordination and collective performance : Cooperative goals boost interpersonal synchrony and task outcomes

Peer reviewed

Coordination and Collective Performance : Cooperative Goals Boost Interpersonal Synchrony and Task Outcomes

Peer reviewed

Using performance management systems as identity products

This paper explores how the effective use of performance management systems (PMS) essentialises collective identities through the use of textual performances. The discursive effect of PMS operates to simplify members’ logic to allow them to understand and negotiate the complex nature of collective performance. Two case studies, drawing on a qualitative study of the implementation of PMS in two public sector organisations, point to the unique contribution of symbolic effects of one popular PMS, the balanced scorecard (BSC). Findings suggest that the BSC visualising the trajectory of achieving organisational vision through multiple perspectives, measures and linkages is a valuable identity product to achieve organisational success. The case studies also provide an analysis that contrasts aspects of the diffusion and promotion of collective identities through the use of the BSC. This demonstrates that clear direction in the identity management process is an important factor in the design and implementation of successful PMS programs. The value of this paper is to heighten recognition of the symbolic agency of PMS, as it serves as a subtle mechanism for identity management, and also to foster the collaboration of communication specialists and management accountants to achieve common organisational goals.

Mistreatment in Distributed Caching Groups: Causes and Implications

Although cooperation generally increases the amount of resources available to a community of nodes, thus improving individual and collective performance, it also allows for the appearance of potential mistreatment problems through the exposition of one node’s resources to others. We study such concerns by considering a group of independent, rational, self-aware nodes that cooperate using on-line caching algorithms, where the exposed resource is the storage of each node. Motivated by content networking applications – including web caching, CDNs, and P2P – this paper extends our previous work on the off-line version of the problem, which was limited to object replication and was conducted under a game-theoretic framework. We identify and investigate two causes of mistreatment: (1) cache state interactions (due to the cooperative servicing of requests) and (2) the adoption of a common scheme for cache replacement/redirection/admission policies. Using analytic models, numerical solutions of these models, as well as simulation experiments, we show that online cooperation schemes using caching are fairly robust to mistreatment caused by state interactions. When this becomes possible, the interaction through the exchange of miss-streams has to be very intense, making it feasible for the mistreated nodes to detect and react to the exploitation. This robustness ceases to exist when nodes fetch and store objects in response to remote requests, i.e., when they operate as Level-2 caches (or proxies) for other nodes. Regarding mistreatment due to a common scheme, we show that this can easily take place when the “outlier” characteristics of some of the nodes get overlooked. This finding underscores the importance of allowing cooperative caching nodes the flexibility of choosing from a diverse set of schemes to fit the peculiarities of individual nodes. To that end, we outline an emulation-based framework for the development of mistreatment-resilient distributed selfish caching schemes.

Distributed Selfish Coaching

Although cooperation generally increases the amount of resources available to a community of nodes, thus improving individual and collective performance, it also allows for the appearance of potential mistreatment problems through the exposition of one node's resources to others. We study such concerns by considering a group of independent, rational, self-aware nodes that cooperate using on-line caching algorithms, where the exposed resource is the storage at each node. Motivated by content networking applications -- including web caching, CDNs, and P2P -- this paper extends our previous work on the on-line version of the problem, which was conducted under a game-theoretic framework, and limited to object replication. We identify and investigate two causes of mistreatment: (1) cache state interactions (due to the cooperative servicing of requests) and (2) the adoption of a common scheme for cache management policies. Using analytic models, numerical solutions of these models, as well as simulation experiments, we show that on-line cooperation schemes using caching are fairly robust to mistreatment caused by state interactions. To appear in a substantial manner, the interaction through the exchange of miss-streams has to be very intense, making it feasible for the mistreated nodes to detect and react to exploitation. This robustness ceases to exist when nodes fetch and store objects in response to remote requests, i.e., when they operate as Level-2 caches (or proxies) for other nodes. Regarding mistreatment due to a common scheme, we show that this can easily take place when the "outlier" characteristics of some of the nodes get overlooked. This finding underscores the importance of allowing cooperative caching nodes the flexibility of choosing from a diverse set of schemes to fit the peculiarities of individual nodes. To that end, we outline an emulation-based framework for the development of mistreatment-resilient distributed selfish caching schemes. Our framework utilizes a simple control-theoretic approach to dynamically parameterize the cache management scheme. We show performance evaluation results that quantify the benefits from instantiating such a framework, which could be substantial under skewed demand profiles.

A ocorrência de bullying no futebol e sua influência no abandono esportivo

The objective of this study is verify the occurrence of bullying in soccer and if this phenomenon can be considered a possible cause of the abandonment of this sport. The sample consisted of 143 male athletes, aged between 15 and 18 years old, all of whom competed in the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior in 2011. The results show that most athletes have practiced, suffered and observed bullying in soccer, but the minority has fear of being assaulted on the team and few thought to stop playing because of this social phenomenon. It is suggested that more studies be conducted in this area and that the sport psychologist and coach provide to the team a better living and training structure, and the athletes should be united, avoid jokes that exceeding the limits offending another member of the group and make everyone feel comfortable in that place, not influencing the individual or collective performance

La comunicazione chimica in Blattaria: contributo al miglioramento della lotta

CHEMICAL COMMUNICATION IN BLATTARIA: CONTRIBUTION TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE CONTROL TECNIQUES The management of cockroach infestations in urban environment has undergone some changes in recent years by moving to the predominant use of baits, thanks to the awareness of the risks connected with the use of spray insecticides. The effectiveness of a bait is determined by the collective performance of its components, including active and inert ingredients, the food attractant and any other attractive odour. This research has focused on the behavioral responses of Italian sinanthropic cockroaches to semiochemicals and food attractants, for the purpose of evaluating a possible practical application and of contributing to the improvement of control techniques. Behavioral and morphological studies have been carried out on Supella longipalpa (F.), a small cockroach that is spreading in Italy. Behavioral assays showed that the fourth and fifth tergites of females are significantly more attractive than other region of the body. Cuticular pores and ducts ending in glandular structures (observed with a S.E.M. = Scanning Electron Microscope) are present in large number on these tergites, suggesting that they could be involved in the production and the release of sexual pheromone. Cockroaches produce an aggregation pheromone that is excreted along with their frass and that consists of volatile and non-volatile compounds, mainly amines and steroidal glycosides. The effectiveness of faecal extracts obtained from excrements of Blattella germanica (L.), Blatta orientalis L., Periplaneta americana (L.) and S. longipalpa was evaluated, both at intraspecific and interspecific level, using a "Y" tube olfactometer. Bioassays showed that faecal extracts obtained with methanol have a good intraspecific attractiveness and, in some cases, they showed also interspecific behavioral responses. A gel was prepared, having physical characteristics that could give a good resistance to dehydration, as a potential basis for a new bait; the gel was then added faecal extracts, obtained with methanol from B. germanica and S. longipalpa frass. Arena-tests showed that the new gel containing faecal extracts is more attractive than some commercial gel formulations used as comparison: it was the only product that could attract 100% of insects placed in the arenas in 4-5 days. In conclusion, the substances involved in chemical communication of Blattaria may be able to effectively increase the attractiveness of products for monitoring and controlling cockroaches.

RELAÇÕES ENTRE CARACTERÍSTICAS DOS INTEGRANTES DE EQUIPES, COMPETÊNCIAS COLETIVAS E DESEMPENHO COLETIVO

As inovações tecnológicas e as mudanças na forma de trabalho tornaram as equipes peças fundamentais no desempenho das organizações e no aprimoramento individual. A pesquisa teórica identifica que o conhecimento das características das equipes e de seus membros proporciona desempenho, desenvolvimento organizacional, determina as interações sociais e a maneira como serão realizadas as tarefas. O estudo tem por questão investigativa analisar as relações entre características dos integrantes de equipes que incluem as características sociodemográficas, competências individuais, tipos psicológicos, com as competências coletivas e o desempenho coletivo. O contexto da pesquisa é um curso de tecnologia em gastronomia de uma universidade privada, uma amostra de 131 alunos, dez equipes do quarto e onze do segundo semestres em atividades práticas no Laboratório de Alimentos. Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva que emprega o método de correlação para os dados quantitativos, como competências individuais e coletivas e notas acadêmicas de desempenho coletivo, além de interpretações qualitativas por observação em doze encontros das equipes para trabalhos coletivos e uma análise quali-quantitativa dos dados. O estudo evidencia ausência de correlação entre as variáveis nas equipes de 2º semestre justificada por serem equipes bastante jovens e em fase de desenvolvimento acadêmico e profissional. Na turma do 4º semestre, o coeficiente de Pearson indica correlação significativa e comprova que as características dos integrantes influenciam positivamente nas competências coletivas e resultam em melhores desempenhos coletivos. Qualitativamente, as melhores equipes são gerenciadas por uma liderança feminina adulta que coordena as tarefas e os membros são contribuintes e colaboradores enquanto o líder é comunicador e desafiador. Desenvolvem um ritmo de trabalho dinâmico com forte presença da comunicação, tomada de decisões rápidas e criativas e atingem metas diferenciadas em gastronomia. Apesar dos resultados não poderem ser generalizados pelo fato da pesquisa ter sido realizada em apenas uma universidade e envolvendo 21 equipes, os conceitos teóricos o são e podem ser testados em outras realidades.

Lead time reduction for new products

The research, which was given the terms of reference, "To cut the lead time for getting new products into volume production", was sponsored by a company which develops and manufactures telecommunications equipment. The research described was based on studies made of the development of two processors which were designed to control telephone exchanges in the public network. It was shown that for each of these products, which were large electronic systems containing both hardware and software, most of their lead time was taken up with development. About half of this time was consumed by activities associated with redesign resulting from changes found to be necessary after the original design had been built. Analysing the causes of design changes showed the most significant to be Design Faults. The reasons why these predominated were investigated by seeking the collective opinion from design staff and their management using a questionnaire. Using the results from these studies to build upon the works of other authors, a model of the development process of large hierarchical systems is derived. An important feature of this model is its representation of iterative loops due to design changes. In order to reduce the development time, two closely related philosophies are proposed: By spending more time at the early stages of development (detecting and remedying faults in the design) even greater savings can be made later on, The collective performance of the development organisation would be improved by increasing the amount and speed of feedback about that performance. A trial was performed to test these philosophies using readily available techniques for design verification. It showed that about an 11 per cent saving would be made on the development time and that the philosophies might be equally successfully applied to other products and techniques.

Indicadores do perfil profissional do psicólogo escolar das equipes especializadas de apoio à aprendizagem da Secretaria de Educação do DF

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Psicologia, Programa de Pós-graduação em Processos de Desenvolvimento Humano e Saúde, 2016.

Microfoundations of HRM effects: Individual and Collective Attitudes and Performance

Previous research on Human Resource Management (HRM) has focused extensively on the potential relationships between the use of HRM practices and organizational performance. Extant research in HRM has been based on the underlying assumption that HRM practices can enhance organizational performance through their impact on positive employee attitudes and performance, that is, employee reactions to HRM. At the current state of research however, it remains unclear how employees come to perceive and react to HRM practices and to what extent employees in organizations, units and teams react to such practices in similar or widely different ways. In fact, recent HRM studies indicate that employee reactions to HRM may be far less homogeneous than assumed. This raises the question of whether or not the linkage between HRM and organizational outcomes can be explained by employee reactions in terms of attitudes and performance, if these reactions are largely idiosyncratic. Accordingly, this thesis aims to shed light on the processes that shape individuals’ reactions to HRM practices and how these processes may influence the variance or sharedness in such reactions among employees in organizations, units and teams. By theoretically developing and empirically examining the effects of employee perceptions of HRM practices from the perspective of ‘HRM as signaling’ and psychological contract theory, the main contributions of this thesis focus on the following research questions: i) How employee perceptions of the HRM practices relate to individual and collective employee attitudes and performance. ii) How employee perceptions of HRM practices relates to variance in employee attitudes and performance. iii) How collective employee performance mediates the relationship between employee perceptions of HRM practices and organizational performance. Regarding the first research questions the findings indicate that individuals do respond positively to HRM practices by adjusting their felt obligations towards the employer. This finding is in line with the idea of HRM as a signaling device where each HRM practice, implicitly or explicitly, sends signals to employees about promised rewards (inducements) and behaviors (obligations) expected in return. The relationship was also confirmed at the group level of analysis. What is more, variance was found to play an important role in that employee groups with more similar perceptions about the HRM system displayed a stronger relationship between HRM and employee obligations. Concerning the second question the findings were somewhat contradictory in that a strong HRM system was found negatively related to variance in employee performance but not employee obligations. Regarding the third question, the findings confirmed linkages between the HRM system and organizational performance at the group level and the HRM system and employee performance at the individual level. Also, the entire chain of links from the HRM system through variance in employee performance, and further through the level of employee performance to organizational performance was significant.

Premiere of "Spaced Images with Noise and Lines" Performance at the Joinery, Dublin, at at Spatial Music Collective concert. Authors: Lyon, E. Keywords: (Spatial Audio, Electroacoustic Music, Computer Music, Algorithmic Music) Publication date: 07 Oct 2011

Performance at the Joinery, Dublin, at at Spatial Music Collective concert