Application of an evolutionary fuzzy system for the estimation of workforce deployment and cross-training in an assembly environment

Owing to the increased customer demands for make-to-order products and smaller product life-cycles, today assembly lines are designed to ensure a quick switch-over from one product model to another for companies' survival in market place. The complexity associated with the decisions pertaining to the type of training and number of workers and their exposition to the different tasks especially in the current era of customized production is a serious problem that the managers and the HRD gurus are facing in industry. This paper aims to determine the amount of cross-training and dynamic deployment policy caused by workforce flexibility for a make-to-order assembly. The aforementioned issues have been dealt with by adopting the concept of evolutionary fuzzy system because of the linguistic nature of the attributes associated with product variety and task complexity. A fuzzy system-based methodology is proposed to determine the amount of cross-training and dynamic deployment policy. The proposed methodology is tested on 10 sample products of varying complexities and the results obtained are in line with the conclusions drawn by previous researchers.

The impact of cross -training on team processes and performance

Recently, researchers have begun to investigate the benefits of cross-training teams. It has been hypothesized that cross-training should help improve team processes and team performance (Cannon-Bowers, Salas, Blickensderfer, & Bowers, 1998; Travillian, Volpe, Cannon-Bowers, & Salas, 1993). The current study extends previous research by examining different methods of cross-training (positional clarification and positional modeling) and the impact they have on team process and performance in both more complex and less complex environments. One hundred and thirty-five psychology undergraduates were placed in 45 three-person teams. Participants were randomly assigned to roles within teams. Teams were asked to “fly” a series of missions on a PC-based helicopter flight simulation. ^ Results suggest that cross-training improves team mental model accuracy and similarity. Accuracy of team mental models was found to be a predictor of coordination quality, but similarity of team mental models was not. Neither similarity nor accuracy of team mental models was found to be a predictor of backup behavior (quality and quantity). As expected, both team coordination (quality) and backup behaviors (quantity and quality) were significant predictors of overall team performance. Contrary to expectations, there was no interaction between cross-training and environmental complexity. Results from this study further cross-training research by establishing positional clarification and positional modeling as training strategies for improving team performance. ^

Critical training of mass media documentalists

This study takes the old myth of objectivity in media discourse to one of the most important but unrecognized actors in the process of its construction: the mass media information scientist or documentalist. Accepting the subjective presence of the documentalist in his/her productions, this article opts for the recognition and explicit statement of this role, recommending two actions. First, we suggest that public higher education institutions combine the technical training of mass media documentalists with training in critical thinking skills. Our study analysed the subjects covered in course syllabi to detect the deficiencies to be addressed in meeting this objective. Second, we propose alternative lines of training that can contribute to cross-training of mass media documentalists in those degree programs to ensure that they acquire the needed skills in critical analysis.

Hóspedes do Profeta sem Morada: estudo sobre modos de subjetivação da migração, a partir das experiências de estudantes de pós-graduação participantes de programas de intercâmbio internacional

Este trabalho problematiza a experiência migratória do estudante de pós-graduação participante de programas de intercâmbio internacional, entendendo que este é um trabalhador cognitivo que sofre a extração de sua força de trabalho segundo os mesmos padrões sofridos pelos demais trabalhadores, regulado pela universidade que tem sido atravessada por uma lógica administrativa repleta de imperativos de normatizações, padrões de eficiência e modelos bem-sucedidos. A partir da articulação entre a Análise Institucional, Filosofia da Diferença e Autonomia das Migrações, discute analisadores que atravessam a formação, como o efeito lattes, que incita o produtivismo; a tara contemporânea que nos impele a um estado permanente de formação; o aumento de programas de intercâmbio internacional, que tornam-se mais uma griffe em busca do status de excelência, e o processo de êxodo de cérebros, caracterizado pela migração de trabalhadores qualificados que não encontram, em suas cidades ou países, oportunidades para canalizar sua qualificação. Estes processos são analisadores de uma política que incita o processo de circulação, e também a delimita e a esquadrinha, como pode ser percebido pelas experiências dos sete estudantes que compuseram as travessias em estudo, cujos vestígios deixados pelos fragmentos das histórias/ modos de funcionamento encarnaram os personagens conceituais, conforme Deleuze. As experiências de intercâmbio internacional exprimem o mais alto grau da exigência do atual modo de subjetivação acadêmico por sua característica de se dar como longa imersão e em país estranho capaz de graves efeitos positivos e negativos em sua subjetivação, denotando que o paradoxo e o sofrimento são constitutivos da migração e da formação.

A educação tecnológica como disciplina de opção de escola e os novos desafios do professor no ano de transição

Relatório de estágio apresentado à Escola Superior de Educação de Lisboa para obtenção de grau de mestre em Ensino da Educação Visual e Tecnológica no Ensino Básico

Effectively Selecting a Target Population for a Future Comparative Study

When comparing a new treatment with a control in a randomized clinical study, the treatment effect is generally assessed by evaluating a summary measure over a specific study population. The success of the trial heavily depends on the choice of such a population. In this paper, we show a systematic, effective way to identify a promising population, for which the new treatment is expected to have a desired benefit, using the data from a current study involving similar comparator treatments. Specifically, with the existing data we first create a parametric scoring system using multiple covariates to estimate subject-specific treatment differences. Using this system, we specify a desired level of treatment difference and create a subgroup of patients, defined as those whose estimated scores exceed this threshold. An empirically calibrated group-specific treatment difference curve across a range of threshold values is constructed. The population of patients with any desired level of treatment benefit can then be identified accordingly. To avoid any ``self-serving'' bias, we utilize a cross-training-evaluation method for implementing the above two-step procedure. Lastly, we show how to select the best scoring system among all competing models. The proposals are illustrated with the data from two clinical trials in treating AIDS and cardiovascular diseases. Note that if we are not interested in designing a new study for comparing similar treatments, the new procedure can also be quite useful for the management of future patients who would receive nontrivial benefits to compensate for the risk or cost of the new treatment.

Managing team learning in a Spanish commercial bank

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze how team management affects team-learning activities. Design/methodology/approach – The authors empirically study 68 teams as they operate in the natural business context of a major Spanish bank. Quantitative research utilizing multiple regression analyses is used to test hypotheses. Findings – The leadership behaviour (consideration, initiation of structure) displayed by the team leader plays a key role in facilitating team learning. Team leader behaviour characterised by consideration and in particular by initiation of structure are both positively related to team-learning activities. Cross-training of team members also contributes to team-learning behaviour. Research limitations/implications – A specific setting may limit the generalizability of findings. Further research may accordingly investigate to what extent these results can be generalized to other settings or other aspects of team learning. Practical implications – The leadership style adopted by the team leader, as well as cross-training of members, affect team-learning activities. These results link leadership theory to collective learning in teams and organizations, and suggest ways leaders can contribute to improved learning. Originality/value – The study provides new insight into how management of teams facilitates team-learning activities. While consideration is somewhat related to team learning, initiation of structure as well as cross-training appear as key variables.

Relatório de estágio no The Vintage House Lisboa Hotel

O presente relatório refere-se a um estágio curricular realizado no âmbito do Mestrado em Gestão e Direção Hoteleira. O estágio decorreu no hotel The Vintage House Lisboa, com inicio a 18 de agosto de 2014 e término a 31 de maio de 2015, consistindo num cross-training pelos departamentos: Housekeeping, F&B, Front-Office, “Célula”, Economato e Direção. O principal objetivo deste relatório é descrever as tarefas realizadas ao longo do estágio, bem como as competências adquiridas, as contribuições dadas a cada departamento, e sugestões de melhoria; que juntamente com a caracterização do hotel possibilitam um melhor entendimento de todo o trabalho. Foi através da observação e participação nas várias funções da unidade hoteleira que foi possível realizar uma intensa análise para, posteriormente, descrever os vários departamentos e, por fim, propor a melhoria da análise da satisfação dos clientes do hotel. A análise à satisfação do cliente é realizada através de três questionários, cada um dirigido a um público diferente: clientes externos dos outlets de F&B, clientes MICE, e hóspedes. Através desta análise, a unidade hoteleira poderá obter bastantes vantagens como o acréscimo da qualidade do serviço, o aumento da satisfação dos seus clientes, e a sua retenção e lealdade. Ao terminar este relatório, constatou-se a forte importância que o conhecimento das necessidades, perceções e expectativas dos clientes tem para o desenvolvimento e distinção de uma empresa ou unidade hoteleira; traduzindo-se numa extrema necessidade de uma continua adaptação às transformações do sector hoteleiro e dos seus consumidores, para conseguir um maior destacamento da feroz concorrência.

Relatório de Estágio no Hotel Villa Batalha

O presente relatório diz respeito ao estágio realizado no âmbito do Mestrado em Gestão e Direção Hoteleira. Este foi realizado no Hotel Villa Batalha e teve o seu início a 1 de agosto de 2013 e terminou a 17 de maio de 2014. O objetivo deste relatório é descrever o estágio, o que foi feito e quais os conhecimentos e competências adquiridos. Durante o estágio foi realizado um cross training pelos vários departamentos do hotel, incluindo o departamento de Front Office, o departamento de Food & Beverage (F&B), o departamento de Manutenção e o departamento de Housekeeping. No final deste relatório encontra-se uma análise dos segmentos de mercado em termos de ocupação e receita, que foi realizada através da observação ao longo do estágio e da recolha de dados do programa Protel. Esta análise traduz um desafio proposto durante o estágio, com o objetivo de complementar e colmatar conhecimentos

Hotel Radisson Blu - Colónia

Dissertação de Mestrado, Direção e Gestão Hoteleira, Escola Superior de Gestão, Hotelaria e Turismo, Universidade do Algarve, 2016

The acute effects of eccentrically-biased versus conventional weight training in older adults : a randomised controlled cross-over study

Background Whilst resistance training has been proven to convey considerable benefits to older people; immediately post-exercise there may be elevated transient risks for cardiac events and falls. Objectives and Measurements We assessed the acute effects of eccentrically-biased (EB) and conventional (CONV) resistance exercise on: platelet number, activation and granule exocytsosis; and mean velocity of centre of pressure displacement (Vm). Design, Setting, Participants and Intervention Ten older adults (7 males, 3 females; 69 ± 4 years) participated in this randomised controlled cross-over study in which they performed EB and CONV training sessions that were matched for total work and a control condition. Results Immediately post-exercise there was a statistically significant difference in platelet count between the control condition, in which it fell (pre 224 ± 35 109/L; post 211 ± 30 109/L: P < 0.05) and CONV in which it increased (pre 236 ± 55 109/L; post 242 ± 51 109/L: P > 0.05). There was no change in platelet activation and granule exocytsosis or Vm following EB and CONV. Conclusions Overall, while minor differences between regimens were observed, no major adverse effect on parameters of platelet function or centre of pressure displacement were observed acutely following either regimen. Eccentrically-biased and conventional resistance exercise training regimens do not appear to present an elevated acute risk in the context of changes to platelet function contributing to a cardiac event or postural stability increasing falls risk for apparently healthy older adults.

Acoustic adaptation in cross database audio visual SHMM training for phonetic spoken term detection

Visual information in the form of lip movements of the speaker has been shown to improve the performance of speech recognition and search applications. In our previous work, we proposed cross database training of synchronous hidden Markov models (SHMMs) to make use of external large and publicly available audio databases in addition to the relatively small given audio visual database. In this work, the cross database training approach is improved by performing an additional audio adaptation step, which enables audio visual SHMMs to benefit from audio observations of the external audio models before adding visual modality to them. The proposed approach outperforms the baseline cross database training approach in clean and noisy environments in terms of phone recognition accuracy as well as spoken term detection (STD) accuracy.

Cross database training of audio-visual hidden Markov models for phone recognition

Speech recognition can be improved by using visual information in the form of lip movements of the speaker in addition to audio information. To date, state-of-the-art techniques for audio-visual speech recognition continue to use audio and visual data of the same database for training their models. In this paper, we present a new approach to make use of one modality of an external dataset in addition to a given audio-visual dataset. By so doing, it is possible to create more powerful models from other extensive audio-only databases and adapt them on our comparatively smaller multi-stream databases. Results show that the presented approach outperforms the widely adopted synchronous hidden Markov models (HMM) trained jointly on audio and visual data of a given audio-visual database for phone recognition by 29% relative. It also outperforms the external audio models trained on extensive external audio datasets and also internal audio models by 5.5% and 46% relative respectively. We also show that the proposed approach is beneficial in noisy environments where the audio source is affected by the environmental noise.