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To identify and examine the origins of complexity in a mass customization system and to propose an effective application sequence of variety management strategies in order to cope with this complexity.

Through the application of Suh's complexity theory an understanding of the causes of complexity in the specific context of a mass customization environment is developed. This facilitates the identification of the strategies that are adequate to tackle the problems induced by complexity.

The mass customization system is a coupled system that cannot be mastered simply. It is definitely impossible to transform it to an uncoupled system with a low complexity level. However, the effective and targeted implementation of variety management strategies at the product and process levels enables the management of this complexity by making the system more decoupled.

Complexity can be decreased if managers ensure less dependency between the satisfaction of customer requirements and position of the decoupling point. It is also advantageous to reduce the coupling level between fast delivery requirement in mass customization and the decoupling point placement. Furthermore, an effective variety management calls for the implementation of the identified strategies in an ascending order of complexity reduction potential.

The article relates the complexity theory of Suh to mass customization system, provides a framework for the classification of variety management strategies and derives managerial recommendations so as to reduce the complexity in a mass customization environment.

The purpose of this paper is to examine and analyse the fierce debate regarding children and young people’s use of digital social media, going on in Denmark (and in many other countries) in both mass media and social media. The overall question is what this panic is about and why the mass media and the public do not listen to the media sociologists than to self-appointed experts?

Using a systems-theoretical angle, this paper analyses the debate and answers the following questions: Why are researchers not taken more seriously, and why are their views neglected and criticised? What part does morality play in such debates? How and why do the mass media act as they do, for instance, listening more to debaters than to the researchers? 4) What is the role of the so-called social media? And are these debates best understood as conflicts?

The scientific code is only one among several other codes. The mass media also communicates about truth but only as a result of their own code and programs, which also counts for other functional systems such as the juridical and the political system. In the code and programmes of a given mass medium, it has information value that different actors has different truths, to which comes that conflicts between different opinions of truth is a direct selection criterium. This is the function of the mass media, and nobody would like to live in a society without (except for dictators and their henchmen). Finally, science is very programmatic and communicates only through its own code and programs why research results seldom reach the public in its own form (scientific books and articles) but through the lens of mass media organisations and the debaters. When science is observed from other systems, it happens through their codes and programs why science often does not count more than ordinary people’s meanings.

The debate is polarised: on the one hand, there are debaters (self-appointed experts), whereas on the other hand, there are media researchers especially media sociologists. It turns out that the debaters have better communication possibilities than the researchers, as the scientific code does not trigger the news criteria as good as the often alarming statements from the debaters, who also use the moral code of communication that the researchers do not, as they are obligated to communicate solely in the scientific code.

There is no other systems-theoretical analysis of the moral media panic debates. The application of Luhmann’s systems theory is well suited, as it is both a communication theory and a sociological theory, whereas it is including both the relevant functional systems, such as the mass media, and the relevant communication codes, such as the news criteria of the mass media.

The purpose of this paper is to attempt an aerospaceplane design with the objective of Low-Earth-Orbit-and-Return-to-Earth (LEOARTE) under the constraints of safety, low cost, reliability, low maintenance, aircraft-like operation and environmental compatibility. Along the same lines, a “sister” point-to-point flight on Earth Suborbital Aerospaceplane is proposed.

The LEOARTE aerospaceplane is based on a simple design, proven low risk technology, a small payload, an aerodynamic solution to re-entry heating, the high-speed phase of the outgoing flight taking place outside the atmosphere, a propulsion system comprising turbojet and rocket engines, an Air Collection and Enrichment System (ACES) and an appropriate mission profile.

It was found that a LEOARTE aerospaceplane design subject to the specified constraints with a cost as low as 950 United States Dollars (US$) per kilogram into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) might be feasible. As indicated by a case study, a LEOARTE aerospaceplane could lead, among other activities in space, to economically viable Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP). Its “sister” Suborbital aerospaceplane design could provide high-speed, point-to-point flights on the Earth.

The proposed LEOARTE aerospaceplane design renders space exploitation affordable and is much safer than ever before.

This paper provides an alternative approach to aerospaceplane design as a result of a new aerodynamically oriented Thermal Protection System (TPS) and a, perhaps, improved ACES. This approach might initiate widespread exploitation of space and offer a solution to the high-speed “air” transportation issue.

1.1. Logical Necessity of the Three Dimensions as a Unit of Thought The mathematician does not look kindly on the simple question of why natural space should consist of precisely three dimensions. Instead of giving an answer he assumes a silent smile and shows us a version of space with an infinity of dimensions, as if space were some kind of toy for him to fiddle with to his heart's content.

China has invested massively in higher education, reaching a mass system, envisaging, as a next step, reaching a universal system. Brazil is still an elite system but needs to create adequate public policies to migrate to a mass system. The purpose of this article is to analyze the paradigms for a mass educational system, with regard to the quality of education offered, and the prospects for achieving a universal system, with Brazil and China as a reference.

The author applied an exploratory and qualitative method, through categorical content analysis. The data were collected through nine interviews with government managers, 15 unstructured (open) questionnaires to specialists in higher education and four student leadership.

The results indicate that the change from an elite system to a mass system impacts quality, as there is an inevitable change in experience. However, this modification does not testify against the mass system, as it is necessary for a nation to pass through it and structure itself adequately in order to reach the universal system, a path desired by both countries.

The study presented the reflections observed by the migration from the elite system to the mass system from the main stakeholders of the system in China and the prospects for Brazil to become a mass system. Additionally, it presented the perspectives for both countries to achieve the desired universal system.

To compare the conventional reaction wheel and battery systems with the combined energy and attitude control system. The system mass, volume and power requirements are revealed corresponding to the small satellite missions.

All the relevant system parametric equations are established. The system mass, volume and power are estimated accordingly for the conventional and the combined systems. Then, both systems are compared with respect to the typical small satellite missions.

The combined system outperforms the conventional system in most small satellite missions. However, there are some small satellite missions where the conventional systems are better in terms of the mass and volume budgets.

This research work is exclusively for small satellites in the LEO orbits.

A reasonable information for sizing the combined energy and attitude control system is established. The system mass, volume and power budgets can be extracted from this research work.

The results provide an instant answer regarding the feasibility of the combined energy and attitude control system for small satellites.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel framework and a systematic group of methodologies for constructing a computer-based design system that could support homebuyers’ participation in the design of their dwellings in the UAE housing market.

In order to construct the framework, the paper first presents an overview of current applications of mass customization in the realm of architecture, with focus on successful models in North America. Second, the authors analyze the housing market in the UAE, focusing on challenges and opportunities. This leads to structuring the proposed advanced configuration system based on ideas of technology transfer from other industries. Finally, the profile matching model emerges as a logical consequence of the proposed advanced configuration model.

The analysis of the UAE real estate market reveals interesting growth that encourages application of cutting-edge technologies not just in construction methods, but also in new modes of integrating homebuyers in a participatory dialogue for a sustainable outcome. Within the study, the authors call for new roles, digital design and information management technologies can play to enable participatory design. Additionally, the authors propose a new business model that requires extensive studies of the market, and buyers/developers behavior.

The framework proposed in this paper is considered generic and flexible. It raises various issues regarding its applicability, specifically with regard to market readiness. One of the first challenges is possibility of gathering precise data about the housing market in UAE to measure its size and readiness. Additionally, there are also challenges in finding focused developers and builders that are ready to engage in a dialog toward adopting mass customization as a business model.

Mass customization implies adopting a flexible, technology-oriented business model. This raises multiple implications: developing configuration systems, the number of design alternatives has to be limited to three or four options in order to avoid additional overhead cost; implementing a digital platform for customization requires investment in tools, systems, and accordingly operators. Higher cost associated with mass customization occur both in sales and customer interaction as well as in manufacturing; and conducting a financial framework for implementing the proposed system requires intensive market studies which is considered challenging.

The proposed framework derives its novelty by analyzing mass customization theories, technological enablers, various research endeavors in housing, and currently adopted online marketing and sales strategies in the UAE housing market. The implementation of the proposed system would represent a mile stone in the UAE housing market, being capable of redefining the process through which homebuyers, architect, and housing and developers communicate.

In this paper, the formulation and analytic solutions for fractional continuously variable order dynamic models, namely, fractional continuously mass-spring damper (continuously variable fractional order) systems, have been presented. The authors will demonstrate via two cases where the frictional damping given by fractional derivative, the order of which varies continuously – while the mass moves in a guide. Here, the continuously changing nature of the fractional-order derivative for dynamic systems has been studied for the first time. The solutions of the fractional continuously variable order mass-spring damper systems have been presented here by using a successive recursive method, and the closed form of the solutions has been obtained. By using graphical plots, the nature of the solutions has been discussed for the different cases of continuously variable fractional order of damping force for oscillator. The purpose of the paper is to formulate the continuously variable order mass-spring damper systems and find their analytical solutions by successive recursion method.

The authors have used the viscoelastic and viscous – viscoelastic dampers for describing the damping nature of the oscillating systems, where the order of the fractional derivative varies continuously.

By using the successive recursive method, here, the authors find the solution of the fractional continuously variable order mass-spring damper systems, and then obtain close-form solutions. The authors then present and discuss the solutions obtained in the cases with the continuously variable order of damping for an oscillator through graphical plots.

Formulation of fractional continuously variable order dynamic models has been described. Fractional continuous variable order mass-spring damper systems have been analysed. A new approach to find solutions of the aforementioned dynamic models has been established. Viscoelastic and viscous – viscoelastic dampers are described. The discussed damping nature of the oscillating systems has not been studied yet.

Mass customization has yet to fulfill its original purpose as established by marketing researchers to become an alternative to mass production, largely due to its inability to achieve mass market levels of efficiency. The purpose of this study is to survey consumer's perceptions, willingness and capabilities of participating in a mass customization system, and understand the implications of its findings related to an alternative production system, generative customization.

After an extensive literature review of mass customization, consumer behavior, complex adaptive systems and generative design, a survey was conducted across US and Swedish consumers relative to their willingness and perceptions regarding mass customization, with hypotheses based upon extant research standards.

The survey results found that consumers are ambivalent toward mass customization in mass markets, and a conceptual alternative (generative customization) appears to achieve, at least conceptually, the necessary objectives relative to product design conceptualization and fulfillment that mass customization cannot achieve.

A lack of significant findings from extant research regarding consumer perceptions and tolerances regarding mass customization in mass markets is a limitation to this study. The discussion of a new concept (generative customization) as a viable alternative to mass customization as a result of the survey findings needs to be validated empirically in future research.

The paper empirically validates a definition of mass customization as a complementary rather than an alternative to mass production. It also introduces and develops the concept of generative customization as viable alternative to mass production, albeit one that must be empirically validated in future research.

The traditional product-costing continuum is too limited to account for the new mass customization approach currently used by many corporations in many industries. Mass customization has changed the nature of many transactions, activities and, indeed, the very essence of many manufacturing companies, who have become more of assemblers than manufacturers. These new developments necessitate establishing new way of accounting for proper planning and control. After tracing the development of the mass customization approach from modular manufacturing into common platforms applied in one firm, and then shared by a group of firms, the paper explains the benefits of these approaches to both manufacturers and their suppliers. The central theme of this paper is to develop a product costing system for mass customization. It begins with the traditional product-process matrix in operations management literature and adds to it two elements: firm size and the modular manufacturing method. The rationale for this addition is that modular manufacturing is the best mass customization method; firm size and mass customization are inherently related as indicated by the typical evolutionary pattern of production processes. At this point, the operations management taxonomy is renamed the modular-process matrix; this matrix displays three groups of major activities: manufacturing, supplemental manufacturing, and assembling activities. These three activity groups provide the basis for developing a new set of accounts and a ledger system to account for specific customer orders developed by mass-customization processes.