There has been interest recently in analysing soil, ceramic powders and other materials on the microscopic level so that macroscopic phenomena, such as failure, can be related to…
Abstract
There has been interest recently in analysing soil, ceramic powders and other materials on the microscopic level so that macroscopic phenomena, such as failure, can be related to microscopic properties. The discrete element method provides a numerical tool for conducting such analyses. Here the basic theory behind the method is reviewed and various formulations derived from a finite element basis. The automatic detection of contact surfaces between bodies is a major problem in analysing the interaction of numerous bodies, common to both finite elements and discrete elements. Various approaches to geometric contact detection and the need for efficient algorithms and data structures utilizing recent developments in the field of computer graphics and solid modelling are discussed. Examples are given of the collapse of a soil embankment, penetration of a projectile into a soil and the large deformation of a space structure.
Simon Shurville and John Williams
To show how a combination of hard and soft project and change management methodologies guided successful in‐house development of a campus‐wide information system.
Abstract
Purpose
To show how a combination of hard and soft project and change management methodologies guided successful in‐house development of a campus‐wide information system.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study of the methodologies and management structures that guided the development is presented.
Findings
Applying a combination of the dynamic systems development method, rapid prototyping, PRINCE 2, Checkland's soft systems methodologies and change management helped to develop a product that met user needs, offered value for money and was delivered on time.
Practical implications
The case study shows that the advantages of formal governance brought by PRINCE 2 can be retained in a softer environment where user needs generate work packages and stage gates.
Originality/value
There is widespread evidence that more than half of all IT projects fail and that the softer people issues are essential for success. The paper presents an example of fusing softer approaches with formal governance. It should interest programme and project managers, senior sponsors, software developers and usability specialists.
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John A. Williams, Maiya Turner, Alexes Terry, DaJuana C. Fontenot and Sonyia C. Richardson
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic certainly exacerbated the teacher shortage in the United States for all racial/ethnic groups, but especially for Black teachers. Black teachers…
Abstract
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic certainly exacerbated the teacher shortage in the United States for all racial/ethnic groups, but especially for Black teachers. Black teachers account for 7–8% of the total teacher population and this percentage is the direct result of decades of systemic and structural barriers set against Black teachers in the form of racism. Still, Black teachers who enter the profession do so with the willingness to support all students and uplift Black students who often go years without seeing a teacher that looks like them. Black teachers often face different expectations than their white counterparts and these expectations, without the proper support, lead to Black teachers burning out at higher rates. In an effort to understand Black teachers' and the experiences that contribute them remaining in the classroom, the researchers explored Black teachers' working conditions through a phenomenological approach. The findings of this study suggest that Black teachers deserve working conditions that nurture who they are culturally and professionally, that reject actions of oppression toward them – both implicitly and explicitly, and offer spaces for Black teachers to be authentically heard.
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The Central Bank of Argentina began its activities in May 1935 surrounded by controversy. The Bank was created as a result of a mission led by the expert from the Bank of England…
Abstract
The Central Bank of Argentina began its activities in May 1935 surrounded by controversy. The Bank was created as a result of a mission led by the expert from the Bank of England, Sir Otto Niemeyer. The foreign involvement in the origins of the bank was not welcome to a good part of the Argentine society. Finally, the project for a central bank approved by the Argentine Congress was not the one proposed by Sir Otto Niemeyer, but a version of it that contained crucial modifications introduced by Raúl Prebisch. The aim of this work is to highlight Prebisch’s ideas on monetary and banking matters by analyzing the differences with the ideas of Sir Otto Niemeyer around monetary policy and the characteristics of the future Central Bank of Argentina. Even if there were almost no direct debates between them, there were different visions and indirect contentions that can be traced in the writings of both, which on the side of Prebisch were published in the Revista Económica del Banco de la Nación Argentina and some government documents, and on Niemeyer’s side can be traced in some writings and correspondence regarding his visit to Argentina, held in the archives of the Bank of England.
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THE time is come when the Library Association and the Library Assistants' Association should combine to draw up a scale of reasonable salaries for properly qualified service in…
Abstract
THE time is come when the Library Association and the Library Assistants' Association should combine to draw up a scale of reasonable salaries for properly qualified service in libraries for use (a) in advising authorities seeking information upon the point, and (b) as a gauge if they should decide to make a united protest against the low remuneration which authorities sometimes disgrace themselves by offering to librarians.
This research paper provides an in-depth look at the concepts of burnout, plateau, and derailment for managers. It has become increasingly important to be able to spot these types…
Abstract
This research paper provides an in-depth look at the concepts of burnout, plateau, and derailment for managers. It has become increasingly important to be able to spot these types of impediments to success for management of hospitality organizations before they happen. Differentiations are made between the three concepts as well as the subtle characteristics that may bind them together or cause one to lead to another in a manager’s career. Key insights are provided so that organizations can proactively approach burnout, plateau, and derailment.
John A. Williams and Fred J. DeMicco
Health care institutions are increasingly outsourcing services to managed service companies. As a result, the span of control for managers of these services (departments) can…
Abstract
Health care institutions are increasingly outsourcing services to managed service companies. As a result, the span of control for managers of these services (departments) can increase rapidly. This research investigated the developmental areas needed by managers as they assume multiple departments within acute care hospitals. The research identified 23 training areas from qualitative research on multi‐department managers in acute care hospitals. Analysis of variance was then used to test whether three distinct groups of management differed significantly in their perceptions of the importance of the training areas for their successful career development. Significant differences were found for nine of the 23 training areas. In addition, the ability to achieve a level of expertise through development in several diverse areas was found to be far more important to today's managers in managing multiple departments in hospitals than tenure in a position of management.
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Yvette Green, John A. Williams and Kim Williams
The April 20, 2010, Gulf Coast Oil Spill was a tragic crisis. This study examined the effect of the 2010 Gulf Coast Oil Spill on the restaurant industry in Louisiana. The study…
Abstract
The April 20, 2010, Gulf Coast Oil Spill was a tragic crisis. This study examined the effect of the 2010 Gulf Coast Oil Spill on the restaurant industry in Louisiana. The study quantified key issues affecting state restaurants in the wake of this particular crisis. The study found that oysters were the seafood with the least availability following the crisis. Most of the restaurants, or 54.8%, did not take any menu items off of their menu; however, 24.2% eliminated one or two items and 21% removed three or more items from their menu due to the oil spill. Casual Restaurants at 38.3% and Family Dining Restaurants at 31.2% had the highest percentages of out-of-state purchases of seafood due to the oil spill. Casual Theme Restaurants laid off the most employees due to the oil spill with an average of eight employees. The highest reported costs from the spill were product costs and marketing/advertising.
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While the terms theatre and drama are often used synonymously, they are marked by distinct differences. Drama is concerned with the literature of the theatre, the written basis…
Abstract
While the terms theatre and drama are often used synonymously, they are marked by distinct differences. Drama is concerned with the literature of the theatre, the written basis for theatrical presentations. Theatre refers to the art of presentation, and includes the creations of the playwright, the designer, the architect, and the actor.