bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatial distribution of sediment pollution in the Khajeh Kory River using Kriging and GIS
Authors: Zare Maryam
Published: March 2015

The aim of this research was to study of sediment pollution conditions in the river bed of Khajeh Kory, which passes from the southern border of the Caspian Sea in Astara City. To determine the pollution of river bed sediment along the route, from the river source in the heights to estuary in the Caspian sea, sampling was conducted at 10 stations. Afterward, each sample was divided into two groups based on size (>63 µm and <63 µm). The concentration of heavy metals Cu, Cd, Co, Zn, Pb, Ni, Fe, and Mn in each group was measured using ICP-OES. In the next stage, the enrichment of samples was determined by normalization with aluminum. The data were then interpolated using the Kriging method and various models (including spherical, circular, exponential, Gaussian) were fitted to the data, and the best method was selected using the Cross Validation method. Using the obtained enrichment outcomes, an information layer was produced for each element in the GIS environment utilizing the Kriging method. The layers were aggregated and the compiled layer was  classified into 4 layers again. Using this method, the length of the river from its source to the sea estuary was characterized based on the contamination of heavy metals, and contaminated and unpolluted areas in river sediments could be observed. The source of this pollution, either natural or manmade, was revealed through this method.

 

Resumen

El objeto de esta investigación fue estudiar las condiciones de contaminación sedimentaria en el lecho del río Khajeh Kory, que se extiende desde el borde sur del Mar Caspio en la ciudad de Astara. Para determinar la contaminación del lecho sedimentario, se recolectaron muestras en 10 estaciones establecidas entre la fuente del río en sus partes altas hasta los estuarios en el Mar Caspio. Después, cada muestra fue dividida en dos grupos de acuerdo con el tamaño (>63 µm and <63 µm). La concentración de metales pesados Cu, Cd, Co, Zn, Pb, Ni, Fe y Mn en cada grupo se midió con la técnica ICP-OES. En la siguiente etapa, se determinó el enriquecimiento de las muestras por la normalización con aluminio. Los datos se interpolaron luego con el método Kriging y varios modelos (incluidos el esférico, el circular, el exponencial, el gaussiano) se ajustaron a la información y se seleccionó el mejor método a través de la Validación Cruzada. Con los resultados obtenidos del enriquecimiento se produjo una capa de información para cada elemento en el ambiente GIS a través del método Kriging. Las capas fueron agregadas y la compilación de estas se clasificó nuevamente en otras cuatro capas. De esta forma se caracterizó el río a lo largo, desde su nacimiento hasta el estuario marino, con base en la contaminación de metales pesados y se pudo distinguir entre las zonas contaminadas y las áreas limpias en sedimentos. Las fuentes de esta contaminación, sean naturales o humanas, también se identificaron con este método.
Nanometer Thermal Conductivity Mapping Using Laser-based Scanning Thermal Microscopy
Authors: Goeckeritz Jeremy , Aden Gary , Chand Ami
Published: March 2015

A new measurement technique using a cantilever probe with an integrated thermal sensor is investigated for measuring thermal conductivity at the nanometer scale. The probe is used in a configuration wherein the laser from an atomic force microscope (AFM) heats the tip of the probe above ambient temperature. Heat is transferred from the probe to a sample based on the thermal conductivity of the sample. The heat flow creates a temperature change, as small as 0.01 °C, which is detected by the thermal sensor. The measurement technique presented offers a simple and effective method for mapping the thermal conductivity of a number of materials. We explore the ability of the technique to map silicon oxide on silicon, carbon fibers and gold nanoparticles. Analysis shows that the technique can be used to produce images with a thermal resolution surpassing 25 nm.
GESTÃO PÚBLICA PARTICIPATIVA: ASPECTOS DE GOVERNABILIDADE E INTERAÇÃO POLÍTICO-SOCIAL
Authors: Costa Lucia De Fátima Lúcio Gomes da , Camelo Gerda Lucia Pinheiro
Published: March 2015

O presente artigo investiga as possibilidades da consolidação de novas formas de gestão pública, baseadas no princípio da governabilidade e as novas de interação entre a sociedade e o poder público. Partindo de uma perspectiva teórico-conceitual se observa os fenômenos inerentes a interação desses setores tendo como foco a gestão pública e a evolução dos meios sob os quais os atores públicos empreendem a gestão do setor público. Nesse sentido observa-se a discussão entre o modelo gerencial e o modelo democrático em relação a melhor condução do serviço público prestado a população. É nesse cenário em que surgem a novas formas de gestão pública matéria do estudo no qual identifica os fenômenos tais como as redes, parecerias público-privadas (PPP) e o lobbing,( processo de articulação de classes em defesas de interesses específicos de determinada categoria) como processos legítimos que envolvem a sociedade civil organizada na condução das melhores práticas de gestão da coisa pública bem como na defesa de interesses dos segmentos do setor produtivo. Assim a investigação observa as contribuições teóricas existentes sobre o tema, de forma a conciliá-las na compreensão da gestão pública sob o prisma da intercessão entre o setor público e privado na observação de aspectos de uma gestão eficiente e democrática.
ESTUDO DA VIABILIDADE DA APLICAÇÃO DE TÉCNICAS DE GERENCIA DO CONHECIMENTO NA EDUCAÇÃO TECNOLOGICA
Authors: Lins Hertz Wilton , Sival Cláudio Rodrigues Muniz da
Published: March 2015

Este trabalho tem o objetivo de examinar conceitos e aspectos da Gerência do Conhecimento (GC) que possam contribuir no desenvolvimento de ferramentas mais adaptadas para os desafios atuais da Educação tecnológica (ET). A Gerência do Conhecimento pode ser vista, essencialmente, como uma disciplina que fornece subsídios para o projeto de processos que, ao longo de seus ciclos de vida, se beneficiam da extração formal automática do conhecimento utilizado nos mesmos. A idéia principal é a utilização deste conhecimento como base para um funcionamento otimizado no futuro. Um dos desafios da Educação tecnológica é a dificuldade de atualização dos conteúdos dos vários domínios de treinamento, resultante da rapidez com que as mudanças ocorrem em tudo que depende da tecnologia. A Gerência do conhecimento permite um tratamento formal e consistente de todas as etapas da educação tecnológica, viabilizando o desenvolvimento de ferramentas capazes de explorar o conhecimento adquirido para permitir um processo de adaptação mais flexível e dinâmico. Este artigo examina as formas e tecnologias envolvidas, mostrando sua viabilidade através de uma possível metodologia que demonstra como utilizar os conceitos relacionados com a GC no contexto da ET.
UM PANORAMA ESTATÍSTICO DE CUNHO ECONOMICO, SOCIAL E EDUCACIONAL DO ESTADO DO RIO GRANDE DO NORTE
Authors: Filgueira João Maria , Medeiros Angélica Pollyana Queiroz de , Bezerra Daniella Padilha Avelino , Nascimento Erica Lopes Araripe do
Published: March 2015

Atualmente é comum verificarmos a aplicação da Estatística nas mais diversas áreas, auxiliando na coleta, organização e interpretação de fatos numéricos, que chamamos de dados. Seu estudo é de muita relevância para a tomada de decisões coerentes com a realidade a ser analisada. O presente trabalho teve como meta, através de uma análise estatística, estudar as relações existentes entre as variáveis “taxa bruta de freqüência escolar”, “renda per capita” e “índice de desenvolvimento humano municipal” coletadas dos cento e sessenta e seis municípios do estado do Rio Grande do Norte, no ano de 2000 – através de uma pesquisa realizada pela Organização das Nações Unidas (ONU) –, e, a partir daí, obter uma melhor visão crítica sobre o panorama econômico, educacional e social da região. Com os resultados obtidos – no geral, verificamos taxas bastante reduzidas para os municípios do estado se comparadas com a média brasileira –, pudemos verificar o grau de interferência das variáveis entre si, assim como detectar problemas gerais e específicos dentro do nosso estado, o que poderia exigir diretrizes cabíveis de ordem governamental para melhorar os resultados encontrados. E, como não poderia deixar de ser, concluímos dando sugestões sobre temas para futuros trabalhos que poderiam complementar o nosso e, assim, estender a pesquisa, de forma a agregar conhecimentos sobre a realidade do Rio Grande do Norte.
OBRAS DE REABILITAÇÃO DAS ESTRUTURAS DOS EDIFÍCIOS DAS ANTIGAS ESCOLAS DE ARTES E OFÍCIOS E DA CASA DO ESTUDANTE DE NATAL - RN
Authors: Pereira Alexandre Da Costa , Pereira Alcio Da Costa , Da Silva Manoel Pereira , De Borja Edilberto Vitorino
Published: March 2015

O artigo tem por objetivo a apresentação de estudos de casos de obras para recuperação de construções históricas. As obras estudadas correspondem às antigas Casa do Estudante de Natal e Escola de Artes e Oficios de Natal, esta recém recuperada para integrar Campus do Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio Grande do Norte (Brasil). Comenta-se no trabalho sobre o emprego de materiais e técnicas, tradicionais e modernas, de intervenção para a recuperação da capacidade portante dos componentes estruturais das obras e para a recuperação dos aspectos funcionais dos sistemas construtivos das mesmas. A integridade estrutural associada à manutenção das características arquitetônicas originais das obras, foram consideradas como fatores fundamentais para a seleção de materiais e técnicas adequadas para a solução dos problemas identificados nos diagnósticos de manifestações patológicas, associados à ocorrência de danos em diversos componentes construtivos das obras em estudo. Os materiais e técnicas empregadas foram estudados em função da capacidade de restabelecer a adequada resistência aos elementos estruturais das construções históricas sem comprometer as características arquitetônicas originais das obras, mantendo-se intactos os atributos históricos das mesmas.
PROPRIEDADES TERMOFÍSICAS DE FLUIDOS SECUNDÁRIOS À BASE DE ÁLCOOL PARA TERMOACUMULAÇÃO
Authors: Medeiros Pedro Samuel Gomes , Barbosa Cleiton Rubens Formiga , Fontes Francisco De Assis Oliveira
Published: March 2015

O presente artigo avalia propriedades termofísicas de fluidos secundários visando sua aplicação em sistemas de refrigeração com termoacumulação. O objeto da investigação são soluções aquosas com anticongelantes orgânicos da família dos alcoóis – glicerol, propilenoglicol e etilenoglicol – que apresentam propriedades termofísicas – temperaturas de solidificação e de ebulição, massa específica, calor específico, condutividade térmica – diferentes da água pura, que promovem principalmente a redução do ponto de fusão. Os alcoóis foram selecionados por serem totalmente solúveis, com baixa ou nenhuma atividade corrosiva e quimicamente estáveis. As propriedades dos fluidos secundários foram obtidas com auxílio de simulação computacional. Em todas as amostras analisadas, com concentração em massa dos solutos variando entre 20% e 50%, não foram detectados pontos de inflexão nas curvas das propriedades quando a concentração dos alcoóis foi variada. A hipótese investigativa inicial de redução da temperatura de solidificação da solução, com o aumento da percentagem de álcool, foi confirmada para todas as amostras. A capacidade de transferir calor é reduzida para todos os fluidos secundários, na medida em que a concentração dos alcoóis é aumentada. Comparativamente, o etilenoglicol mostrou ser, dos alcoóis analisados, o que melhor atende as necessidades de um fluido secundário como aditivo anticongelante.
ESPAÇO URBANO E POLÍTICAS PÚBLICAS: UMA ABORDAGEM GEOGRÁFICA SOBRE UMA CIDADE MÉDIA CEARENSE
Authors: Pereira Cláudio Smalley Soares , Oliveira João César Abreu de
Published: March 2015

O presente trabalho objetiva analisar o espaço urbano em cidades médias no estado do Ceará, especificamente na cidade de Juazeiro do Norte, na região do Cariri, enfocando a implantação de políticas públicas propostas pelo poder público para o crescimento desta cidade e para a resolução de problemas que a cidade passa atualmente. Partir-se-á de uma análise que explora o contexto histórico atual da cidade relacionando-os com os processos e as dinâmicas espaciais que resultaram em grandes mudanças funcionais e estruturais no espaço urbano. A análise de documentos públicos e estudos de campo foi de imprescindível importância para o debate sobre as implementações das políticas públicas na cidade de Juazeiro do Norte, pois, nos últimos anos, esta cidade teve um crescimento demasiadamente rápido, gerando problemas no espaço intra-urbano e afetando os citadinos.
COEVOLUÇÃO E AS PRÁTICAS ISOMÓRFICAS DE GESTÃO: UM ESTUDO SOBRE OS PROCESSOS DE MUDANÇAS INSTITUCIONAIS NO INSTITUTO FEDERAL DE CIÊNCIA E TECNOLOGIA DO RN
Authors: Ferreira da Silva Maria Emilia Santos , Añez Miguel Eduardo Moreno
Published: March 2015

Este artigo propõe uma discussão sobre o processo de mudança institucional do IFRN, nos períodos de 1998 e 2008, sob a perspectiva co-evolutiva em que os fatores institucionais e não-institucionais dos ambientes, macro e micro mantêm uma relação de interdependência contínua com as organizações. Para isso, recorrer à trajetória histórica institucional se faz importante para dar sentido ao estudo, pois através desse retorno, se consegue reintegrar a história, compreendendo que o momento atual é produto e efeito de futuras mudanças institucionais, situadas em um determinado tempo e espaço. Com esse entendimento, este artigo objetiva estudar, no processo de coevolução da instituição, a dinâmica das práticas de gestão nos processos de mudança institucional do IFRN, referentes aos períodos 1998 e 2008. O IFRN em sua trajetória histórica passou por diversas mudanças, desde 1909 até 2009. Todas essas transformações se deram por forças coercitivas do ambiente institucional. A partir da década de 90 essas forças se intensificaram, o ambiente se tornou mais amplo e complexo, emergindo outros fatores de influência, os não-institucionais , que passam a compor esse ambiente, como por exemplo, o avanço do conhecimento e das tecnologias, a interdependência global, novas relações de trabalho, etc. No entanto, diante da amplitude que o estudo sobre mudanças apresenta, este artigo se deterá em compreender a dinâmica das práticas isomórficas de gestão na instituição, nos respectivos processos de mudanças institucionais. Para isso será necessário recorrer à trajetória histórica institucional e articular as exigências do ambiente macro, as regulamentações governamentais às mudanças institucionais do ambiente micro, corroborando com a idéia de que é impossível estudar o fenômeno organizacional desarticulado de seu contexto. Para a efetivação da pesquisa, o estudo adotou uma abordagem qualitativa, que através de entrevistas com os gestores dos respectivos processos colheu material significativo e representativo, que atendam ao objetivo do estudo. As entrevistas foram semi-estruturadas. Na análise dos resultados foram constatadas as particularidades de cada mudança, em 98 e em 2008, com relação a seus contextos, evidenciando a importância e a força dos gestores nos dois processos. Em 1998, a luta dos atores institucionais contra as regulamentações governamentais da época e, em 2008 a ação dos atores em consonância com as regulamentações governamentais e, por isso trabalhando em conjunto no sentido de efetivar, da melhor forma possível, a instituição das novas mudanças. Com isso, são discutidas as ações normativas de gestão, com relação às forças coercitivas dos governos de cada contexto, no que se refere à gestão da proposta de ensino, às formas de gestão e à mobilização dos gestores nos períodos de referência
PERCEPÇÃO AMBIENTAL DE DONAS DE CASA SOBRE O USO DE PRODUTOS QUÍMICOS EM DOMICÍLIOS E ESTRATÉGIAS SUSTENTÁVEIS
Authors: Nóbrega Georgiana Amaral
Published: March 2015

RESUMO

Devido ao elevado número de produtos químicos domiciliares que vem sendo consumidos e a escassez de informação sobre os riscos em sua utilização, o homem vem contribuindo consideravelmente para a degradação ambiental. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo analisar a percepção ambiental de donas de casa do bairro de Nova Descoberta na cidade de Natal/RN sobre o uso de produtos químicos domiciliares e disposição de tais produtos, bem como propor estratégias sustentáveis a partir da percepção dessas. A metodologia constituiu na utilização de um instrumento de entrevista, que objetivou analisar como as pessoas dessa investigação científica percebem as mudanças ocasionadas pela utilização e disposição incorreta dos produtos químicos domiciliares e o quanto isso pode afetar a sua qualidade de vida e o meio ambiente. Foi desenvolvido também um levantamento bibliográfico. Foram aplicados 10 instrumentos de entrevista, com donas de casa mantendo um critério conhecido como “saturação” já que os argumentos apresentados em sua grande maioria se repetiam, de forma que não acrescentaria muito ao conteúdo de investigação a persistência na realização de mais entrevistas. A análise dos dados ocorreu por meio de uma abordagem qualitativa e identificação dos principais problemas enfrentados devido à falta de planejamento ambiental domiciliar. A percepção ambiental das donas de casa é a de que utilizam produtos químicos e desconhecem seu uso e disposição corretos. Foi observada a precariedade de informações no bairro da comunidade sobre os malefícios que os produtos químicos domiciliares podem ocasionar e a necessidade da implantação de um planejamento ambiental domiciliar.
IDENTIFICAÇÃO DE ÁREAS VULNERÁVEIS AO ALAGAMENTO PLUVIAL NA CIDADE DE NATAL/RN
Authors: Da Silva Matheus Lisboa Nobre , Cavalcanti Nt Mário Tavares de Oliveira
Published: March 2015

Em Natal, capital do estado do Rio Grande do Norte, a impermeabilização do solo e a falta de drenagem em diversos setores da cidade, têm se mostrado como um fator importante para a geração de caos urbano devido aos alagamentos com conseqüências socioeconômicas. Este trabalho se propõe a indicar áreas vulneráveis ao alagamento das águas pluviais baseados principalmente nas relações topográficas plani-altimétricas e nos fluxos de drenagem urbana. Os resultados foram analisados na perspectiva de proposições que busquem a mitigação deste problema na capital potiguar. Nessa primeira fase foi selecionada uma área no entorno do Campus Central do IFRN. Na continuação, e na dependência de financiamentos, esse estudo será estendido para as demais áreas da cidade.
ESTUDO TRIBOLÓGICO DE ÓLEOS BIODEGRADÁVEIS DE COCO E DE RÍCINO ATRAVÉS DE ENSAIOS ABRASIVOS
Authors: Santana Jaciana Silva de , Farias Aline Cristina Mendes de , Santana Janaina Silva de , Barbosa Cleiton Rubens Formiga , Medeiros João Telésforo Nóbrega de
Published: March 2015

Em substituição aos óleos minerais, os óleos biodegradáveis vêm proporcionando uma grande alternativa ao mercado, uma vez que o mesmo diminui os impactos ambientais. Com a finalidade de avaliar o desempenho do óleo de rícino (refinado e bruto) e o óleo de coco comparando-os com os óleos minerais SAE 20W50 SJ e W40, realizaram-se ensaios tribológicos de desgaste na configuração pino-contra-cilindro de aço AISI 52100. As superfícies das amostras metálicas foram confeccionadas por torneamento e lixamento, utilizando-se lixas de diferentes granulometrias, seguidas por limpeza com banho ultrassônico e pesagem antes e após a realização dos ensaios. Os corpos-de-prova foram analisados antes dos ensaios no microscópio óptico. A dureza do aço AISI 52100 foi medida utilizando-se um durômetro Rockwell. O óleo foi caracterizado através de ensaios de densidade e tensão superficial (Souza et. al., 2007). A eficiência da ação do lubrificante foi avaliada através da taxa de desgaste calculada para as amostras utilizando-se a equação de Archard e através da microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV). Segundo resultados da taxa de desgaste, os óleos vegetais de rícino e coco obtiveram valores de 88,89 % e 33,33 % menores que para os óleos W40 e SAE 20W50 SJ, respectivamente. Sendo assim, os óleos vegetais possuem propriedades tribológicas equivalentes e até superiores às dos óleos minerais estudados.
CRIAÇÃO DE UM WEBSIG DO MUNICÍPIO DE MOSSORÓ, RN, UTILIZANDO A TECNOLOGIA ALOVMAP.
Authors: Vidal Filho Jarbas Nunes , Castro Angélica Félix de , Neto Francisco Paulo De Freitas , Costa Júnior Roberto Alves da , Nunes Denis Freire Lopes
Published: March 2015

Este trabalho aborda a divulgação e a publicação de mapas digitais interativos através do software ALOV Map. O ALOV Map é um servidor de mapas gratuito que pode ser usado de duas formas: com uma arquitetura cliente ou uma arquitetura cliente/servidor. Ambas as arquiteturas permitem publicar mapas na Web e a arquitetura cliente permite que sejam produzidas aplicações stand alone. O objetivo principal desse trabalho consiste em desenvolver um WebSIG com dados digitais do município de Mossoró, RN, de forma que seja possível a qualquer pessoa acessar mapas da cidade e obter informações mais detalhadas sobre ela.
Lateral cyclic pile–soil interaction studies on a rigid model monopile
Authors: Chen Ren-peng , Sun Yong-xin , Zhu Bin , Guo Wei Dong
Published: March 2015

The monopile foundation of an offshore wind turbine will unavoidably suffer from long-term cyclic loading during its lifetime, due to impacts from waves and wind. In this paper, a series of tests on a rigid model monopile, subjected to lateral cyclic loading, were carried out in Qiantang River silt to investigate the pile–soil interaction mechanism and accumulated deformation. The tests revealed that the accumulated displacement is closely related to the cyclic load ratio but has no obvious relationship with the relative density of the soil. In contrast, the unloading stiffness is independent of the cyclic ratio but is related to the relative density of the soil. The soil around the rigid monopile under cyclic loading undergoes a shearing stage during the first ten cycles, followed by the densification stage. The shearing stage dominates the cyclic responses of the rigid monopile, within which the total displacement in each cycle reduced obviously; the proportion of the elastic displacement to the total displacement for each cycle increases from ∼0·5 to 0·95, and the soil pressures degrade to a large extent.
Development of a carbon–manganese dioxide nanomaterial as a glucose fuel-cell electrode
Authors: Paul Subir , Chatterjee Ruma
Published: March 2015

The development of a non-platinum (Pt)-based inexpensive material, as fuel-cell electrode, is the most needful to produce clean electrical renewable energy. A nanocomposite material of manganese dioxide–carbon (MnO2–C) was synthesised by an electrodeposition technique, at optimum parameters of current, potential and chemistry of the electrolyte. The performance of the synthesised material compared to that of Pt was tested by cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and potentiodynamic polarisation. It was found that the MnO2–C material was superior to Pt for glucose oxidation in fuel cells. It delivered a much higher current and a lower polarisation resistance. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) graph reflected the presence of MnO2 and C. The particle size estimated from XRD data using the Scherrer formula came out in the nano range. The morphology of deposits from field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images indicated that the nano-carbon particles are randomly distributed within the MnO2 matrix. The carbon particles not only act as a high-energetic electrocatalytic surface but also act as a nano grain refiner of MnO2. The real substrate area in three dimension is much more than the geometrical substrate area in two dimension, giving rise to an increase in current.
Prožnost dela v javnem in zasebnem sektorju v Sloveniji
Authors: Kozjek Tatjana
Published: March 2015

Razprave o prožnosti organizacij na področju dela so bolj pogoste v zadnjih letih, predvsem kot posledica gospodarske recesije. Strukturne spremembe in globalizacija vplivajo tako na organizacije kot na zaposlene. Organizacije morajo ostati prožne, da se lahko odzivajo na nepričakovane spremembe povpraševanja in se prilagajajo novim tehnologijam ter drugim vplivom. Za povečanje prožnosti zato različno ukrepajo na področju obsega in časovne razporeditve dela, notranje mobilnosti zaposlenih ali na področju plač in stroškov dela. Prispevek prikazuje rezultate raziskave, v okviru katere se je ugotavljalo, ali obstajajo razlike glede prožnosti organizacij na področju dela med zaposlenimi v javnem in zasebnem sektorju v Sloveniji. Analiza rezultatov je pokazala, da zasebne organizacije pogosteje omogočajo notranjo numerično, funkcionalno ter prostorsko prožnost. Med organizacijami javnega sektorja pa so najbolj prožne javne agencije oziroma zavodi.
Flexibility of Work in the Public and Private Sector in Slovenia
Authors: Kozjek Tatjana
Published: March 2015

Discussions about flexibility of organizations in the field of work are more frequent in the recent years, mostly as a result of the economic recession. Structural changes and globalization have had a severe effect on both, organizations and employees. Therefore, organizations must remain flexible to respond to unexpected changes to the area of demand, as well as adjust to new technologies and other influences. Organizations implement various measures to increase their flexibility of work and timing of work and internal mobility of employees or in the field of wages and labor costs. The article presents results of the research which examined whether there are differences in the flexibility of organizations in the field of work between employees in the public and private sectors in Slovenia. The results showed that private organizations enabled internal, numerical, functional and locational flexibility more often than public organizations. The most flexible among public organizations are public agencies and institutions.
Representative Public Administration as the Modelling Behaviour for the New Bureaucracy
Authors: Pečarič Mirko
Published: March 2015

There is a widespread belief that the states and markets are not the omnipotent institutions. Although public participation is gaining importance, this paper argues that in the present situation liberal and democratic elements can be fastest achieved by promotion of values in the public administration. The idea is built on a notion of active representative bureaucracy, while passive representation of the society should be still under the rule of law and/or merit system of hiring public servants. The proposed strategy in a time of austerity is somehow illogical, but it could be efficient: more public funds should be given in education, (re)training and practical experiments of the good practices from other states should become more relevant. Although in our time – when reductions of public funds and dismissals of employees are present – it will be difficult to achieve this goal, we should not forget that humanity has never depended on finances; the public trust, awareness, faith and other values are all the more needed in the time of crisis. We should start from ourselves as individuals to proceed towards the benefits of community.
The Impact of the Financial and Economic Crisis on Public Private Partnerships
Authors: Švigelj Matej , Hrovatin Nevenka
Published: March 2015

The primary purpose of this paper is to contribute to the current debate on the impact of the economic and financial crisis on public-private partnerships (PPPs). The crisis has caused a substantial fall in the PPP market. PPPs have been exposed to both financial and real impacts of the crisis. High interest rates and limited access to finance have been seen as the main factors reflecting the impact of the financial crisis on PPPs. In addition, due to the recession the decreased revenues of PPP projects have reduced their feasibility or impacted on their overall profitability. Measures adopted to help the PPP market in the analysed countries reveal that they mostly involve some form of government support. Further, the paper also critically examines the deficiencies of PPPs.
Professionalization of Civil Service in Hungary: The Potential Impacts of Centralizing Public Administration Education
Authors: Gellén Márton
Published: March 2015

The article examines the recent developments in public administration training in Hungary and draws conclusions for the future. The paper analyzes the connection between legalism and professionalism in Hungary. Legalism and professionalism are displayed as contrary notion by a considerable number of theorists. It appears that »legalism« is an appropriate label for the past status of public administration that reformists long to abandon. Since Hungary is considered to be part of the legalistic culture of European public administration (PA), the assumed conflict between legalism and professionalism appears more vividly. As part of the currently undergoing reform, professionalism received an influential institutional promoter within the Hungarian PA: the National University of Public Administration that is primarily a university but is also a successor of the government agency that used to be in charge of civil service professional training. The article concludes with summarizing the currently undergoing reform regarding professionalism that is also presented as being contrary to the legalistic PA in the government reform program for modernizing PA.
Outsourcing in Sandy Springs and Other US Cities: Insights for Other Countries
Authors: Anttiroiko Ari-Veikko , Bailey Stephen J. , Valkama Pekka
Published: March 2015

This paper analyses the partnership-based outsourcing model of service transformation in USA local government, focusing on the city of Sandy Springs which became widely known for its large-scale ‘turnkey’ outsourcing of provision of its services in the mid-2000s. This city has been referred to in the literature as a special case not applicable to other countries, such as the UK, because of their very different contexts. However, there is now a public sector austerity context within which to reassess Sandy Springs’ use of turnkey outsourcing to achieve significant cost savings and improve services. The paper reports empirical research which it uses to derive insights for municipalities considering outsourcing. Those insights can help improve both policy and professional practice by outlining key issues for consideration when trying to ‘do more with less’ money.
The Factor Model of Decentralization and Quality of Governance in European Union
Authors: Benčina Jože , Mrđa Kovačič Anja
Published: March 2015

This paper presents a selection of 43 variables collected from various sources, which are used to describe the concepts of decentralization and quality of governance in the EU countries. Decentralization is analyzed from two aspects, fiscal and political, while the quality of governance is, along with certain real indicators, measured in particular with the opinions of citizens. The aim of the research was to determine the factor structure of selected variables and provide guidelines for using best practices in exploratory factor analysis. The exploratory factor analysis classified the selected variables into three factors of fiscal decentralization (Fiscal decentralization, Fiscal centralization and Government expenditure), three factors of political decentralization (Centripetalism, Regional governance, Federalism) and three factors of quality of governance (Quality of European institutions, Quality of national institutions and Enforcement of EU law). Despite the small population observed, the factors showed quite good characteristics and provided a good starting point for further research. In this manner, it was shown that despite a small population, it is possible to develop factor models of suitable quality by using exploratory factor analysis in the sense of best practices.
A Vision of the Policy Concerning the Financing and Management of Physical Infrastructure in Network Industries in Slovenia
Authors: Makovšek Dejan , Logožar Klavdij
Published: March 2015

There are many reasons why Slovenia needs to change its management of network industry infrastructure and question the legacy we wish to pass onto the next generation. However, these issues are not at the forefront of the public debate despite being as relevant today as the pension reform, if not even more. Until now, no government in Slovenia has adopted a systemic approach to infrastructure-related issues; instead, they have let partial interests prevail. This paper and the vision of infrastructure management present a synthesis of the current state of profession and past experiences in infrastructure management and financing acquired by the most developed countries, as well as practical experiences concerning the regulation, financing, and management of network industry infrastructure. The practical experience and empirical findings call for a consistent use of the RAB principles and for the restructuring of certain and partial privatization of all network industries. Foreign experience tells us that if the changes are correctly implemented, the current state of infrastructure can be significantly improved and could lead to a considerable decrease in real infrastructure costs and/or an increase in the availability of funds for infrastructure renovation or expansion. In the future, EU regulations might also expand and raise their requirements to meet the state of the art, but Slovenia need not wait for the EU. The introduction of such a policy would also mean a quantum leap in terms of the competitiveness of Slovenia's economy and bring the country closer to the world's most developed economies.
Significance of and Comparative Trends in Procedural Regulation of Right to Information
Authors: Kovač Polonca
Published: March 2015

Any legal right is (more) efficiently pursued if sufficient procedural regulation supports its substantive setting. This article is dedicated to an analysis of procedural regulation of right to information (RTI) since its significance is increasing in terms of developing good governance and good administration within contemporary transparent, open and collaborative society. The comparative analysis of selected countries (USA, Ireland, Sweden, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Croatia) included herein proves that selected procedural institutions, such as time limits and an appeal to an independent body or judicial review, contribute to a significantly higher level of implementation of the RTI in practice as also indicated by several international studies. In conclusion, the author recommends certain good practices, especially significance of RTI implementation in relation to different authorities in the context of administrative procedure guaranteeing constitutional and supranational transparency principles.
Mediation in Belgian Administrative Practice, with Special Focus on Municipal Administrative Sanctions and Urban Planning
Authors: Veny Ludo , Carlens Ivo , Verbeeck Bengt , Warnez Brecht
Published: March 2015

Given Belgian legal doctrine, the rise of mediation in other legal disciplines, and the influence of the EU, the call for mediation in administrative practice is increasing in Belgium. The proposed framework for ADR in the legal doctrine at the beginning of this century was the start of the increasing use of mediation in Belgian administrative law. This contribution is a study of these new forms of mediation as they occur in Belgium in the year 2014. On the basis of two examples (mediation in municipal administrative sanctions and urban planning), administrative mediation and the associated problems are outlined.
Material and Social Construction: A Framework for the Adaptation of Buildings
Authors: Keenan Jesse M.
Published: March 2015

This article is a formulation of a framework for understanding the nature of change, particularly climate change, as it applies to the scale of a building. Through an exploration of various scientific and social scientific literutre, the article positions the concept of adaptation as the appropriate mode for understanding and managing change. Through the classification of a duality of material and social construction in the ontological composition of a building, various lines of thought relating to adaptive capacity and adaptive cycling within systems theory are appropriated within an integrated framework for adaptation. Specifically, it is theorized that as buildings as objects are developing greater capacities for intergrated operations and management through artificial intelligence, they will possess an ex ante capacity to autonomously adapt in dynamic relation to and with the ex post adaptation of owners and operators. It is argued that this top-down and bottom-up confluence of multi-scalar dynamic change is consistent with the prevailing theory of Panarchy applied in social-ecological systems theory. The article concludes with normative perspectives on the limitations of systems theory in architecture, future directions for research and an alternative positioning of professional practices.
Mapping of Brain Functions and Spatial Luminance Distributions as Innovative Tools for Assessing Discomfort Glare in the Built Environment
Authors: Raynham Peter , Osterhaus Werner , Davies Michael
Published: March 2015

A series of "proof-of-concept" projects are set out aimed at bringing together built environment researchers attempting to understand what constitutes ‘comfortable' space and neuroscientists investigating the functional characteristics of the human brain. The long-term goal is to address the question of whether there are regions of the brain that are specifically engaged when people experience spaces they consider to be comfortable, pleasing or even beautiful. Glare is an area of research that has been recognised as a problem in both interior and exterior lighting. Recent advances in technology make it an ideal candidate for the proposed "proof-of-concept” study. The mapping of brain functions through functional magnetic resonance imaging, the mapping of luminance distributionsin a visual scene, and the study of distraction and its influence on discomfort glare can be combined to form the basis of an innovative tool box for new research.
Thermal Comfort in a Naturally-Ventilated Educational Building
Authors: Ogoli David Mwale
Published: March 2015

A comprehensive study of thermal comfort in a naturally ventilated education building (88,000 ft2) in a Chicago suburb will be conducted with 120 student subjects in 2007. This paper discusses some recent trends in worldwide thermal comfort studies and presents a proposal of research for this building through a series of questionnaire tables. Two research methods used inthermal comfort studies are field studies and laboratory experiments in climate-chambers. The various elements that constitute a "comfortable” thermal environment include physical factors (ambient air temperature, mean radiant temperature, air movement and humidity), personal factors(activity and clothing), classifications (gender, age, education, etc.) and psychological expectations (knowledge, experience, psychological effect of visual warmth by, say, a fireplace). Comparisons are made using data gathered from Nairobi, Kenya.Keywords: Comfort, temperature, humidity and ventilation
The Green Church
Authors: Gillem Mark L.
Published: March 2015

If "green” is an environmental concept applicable to the design and construction of buildings and landscapes, then we should not limit the scope of the concept solely to the natural environment. Rather, we should include key "environments” in which designers operate, including the socio-cultural, political, and natural environments. In this paper, I present a case study in"green” design that expands the scope of the concept and recognizes the interrelationship between these multiple environments. Using recent construction and renovation on the campus of the FirstPresbyterian Church of Berkeley as the case, I show how these environments are mutuallysupportive. Moreover, I argue that if designers simply consider the natural environment, theirlaudable goals may never be realized. In the first part of the paper, I provide a background on the project and its physical and socio-cultural setting. Second, I discuss how the different "environments” were addressed in the planning and design of the project. I then introduce specific"green” strategies that were employed in the design of the new and renovated buildings. These include considering renovation as the first imperative, thinking holistically about the entire campus,and applying a simplified approach to "greening” the buildings. I conclude by offering suggestionsfor future designers interested in reducing the environmental impact of their buildings.Keywords: Sustainability, Adaptive Reuse, Human Context
Education, Environmental Attitudes and the Design Professions
Authors: Rider Traci Rose , Elliott Jack
Published: March 2015

As the concept of sustainability continues to become more popular within society, a number of different professions are called on to help champion the movement. With the resources train inflicted by the construction industry alone, dedicated architects and interior designers are important players in forward progress. Though many organizations and associations have been created to help the building industry embrace sustainability both practically and theoretically, theactual implementation of green building practices in construction has been minimal. The main focus of this study is to look at the influence of undergraduate education on designers' interest in sustainable design. Additional research interest was in environmental attitudes and the impact of interpersonal relations on those attitudes. Self-proclaimed practitioners in the green building industry were surveyed through a specified email list of the U.S. Green Building Council. The survey was web-based and addressed issues including environmental attitudes, undergraduate education and professional training. Dunlap and Catton's widely-used New Ecological Paradigm scale was included to measure proenvironmental orientation of the professionals. Contrary to the main hypothesis of the study, undergraduate education was not seen by subjects to be a fundamental force in the decision to concentrate on sustainability. A number of educational elements typically seen in environmental education, including interpersonal interactions, were mentioned by subjects as substantially influential and are therefore explored.Keywords: ethics, attitudes, design education
Between Analogue and Digital Diagrams
Authors: Bun Zoltan
Published: March 2015

This essay is about the interstitial. About how the diagram, as a method of design, has lead fromthe analogue deconstruction of the eighties to the digital processes of the turn of the millennium.Specifically, the main topic of the text is the interpretation and the critique of folding (as a diagram)in the beginning of the nineties. It is necessary then to unfold its relationship with immediatelypreceding and following architectural trends, that is to say we have to look both backwards andforwards by about a decade. The question is the context of folding, the exchange of the analogueworld for the digital. To understand the process it is easier to investigate from the fields of artand culture, rather than from the intentionally perplicated1 thoughts of Gilles Deleuze. Both fieldsare relevant here because they can similarly be used as the yardstick against which the era itselfit measured. The cultural scene of the eighties and nineties, including performing arts, movies,literature and philosophy, is a wide milieu of architecture. Architecture responds parallel to itsera; it reacts to it, and changes with it and within it. Architecture is a medium, it has always beena medium, yet the relations are transformed. That's not to say that technical progress, for exampleusing CAD-software and CNC-s, has led to the digital thinking of certain movements ofarchitecture, (it is at most an indirect tool). But the ‘up-to-dateness' of the discipline, however,a kind of non-servile reading of an ‘applied culture' or ‘used philosophy'2 could be the key.(We might recall here, parenthetically, the fortunes of the artistic in contemporary mass society.The proliferation of museums, the magnification of the figure of the artist, the existence of amassive consumption of printed and televised artistic images, the widespread appetite for informationabout the arts, all reflect, of course, an increasingly leisured society, but also relateprecisely to the fact that, faced with the tedium of everyday, real, lived experience, of the scientificillusion, of work and production, the world of art appears as a kind of last preserve of reality,where human beings can still find sustenance. Art is understood as being a space in whichthe fatigue of the contemporary subject can be salved away.)3
Prefabricated Construction using Digitally Integrated Industrial Manufacturing
Authors: Giles Harry
Published: March 2015

The paper describes research being carried out in relation to prefabricated high density affordablehousing under a grant from the Partnership for the Advancement of Technology in Housing(PATH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the USA. The objective is to demonstratehow a new paradigm for the conceptualization and construction of buildings can be conceivedof as an entirely factory based process that creates advantages for construction through industrialsystems technology transfer. Our approach is intended to transform design methodologythrough demonstrating how alternative construction concepts, using entirely pre-manufacturedvolumetric units, can be adopted. This involves digital modeling that facilitates parametric variationsfor creating customized prefabricated products from design conceptualization through tofinal product delivery. The paper discusses key areas under investigation in relation to a manufacturingparadigm used in the automotive industry that integrates virtual prototyping and industrialmanufacturing systems. Our research explores a type of monocoque volumetric unit prefabricatedin steel, which will be pre-finished as part of a modular factory-built approach usingindustrialized methodologies that will facilitate customized manufacture of a high quality energyefficient product for affordable housing.The paper addresses the automotive industry methods of manufacture that have served increasedautomobile performance and economics through mass production for over a century. In starkcontrast, the building industry and in particular the housing industry is still a century behind. It issuggested that a move away from tradition will require an industry wide initiative, just like HenryFord led the way with mass production. By embracing the increasing sophistication and capabilitythat digital technology offers, it is shown how digital tools are implemented towards masscustomization in house design using virtual modeling in the context of a prefabricated manufacturingapproach. This includes industrialized modular sub-assembly design, where the informationon parts, assemblies and modules can be transferred to digital and robotic technology, asseen in the automotive industry, as well as achieving enhanced production efficiency through a‘supply chain' process, which is condensed. The paper discusses how these models for manufacturecan be transferred into the housing market in order to revolutionize the cost and qualitybase of construction. Our research objective is to disseminate knowledge on this process, andshowing how through integrated transfer of automotive technologies we can implement an industrializedfabrication process for mass housing, not previously known in the building industry.