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21 – 30 of 256A growing body of literature suggests that creating a just sustainable society will require reorganizing economic arrangements and, in particular, rethinking work. Previous…
Abstract
A growing body of literature suggests that creating a just sustainable society will require reorganizing economic arrangements and, in particular, rethinking work. Previous studies have recognized alternative organizations, such as cooperatives and intentional communities, as sites for building more democratic, sustainable models of work. This study contributes a description and analysis of work and sustainability at Twin Oaks Intentional Community, an 80-person income- and resource-sharing commune in Louisa, Virginia. Some measures show that Twin Oaks members live more sustainably in terms of energy consumption than the average US resident. In this article, I investigate the relationship between sustainability and work at Twin Oaks. I find that sustainable work is linked to the following key principles: broadening definitions of work, prioritizing community well-being, and democratizing decision making. In doing so, I contribute to previous literature on work, sustainability, and alternative organizations by suggesting that (1) sustainability in intentional communities is deeply intertwined with systems of work; (2) broadening definitions of work to include social reproductive labour contributes to sustainability; and (3) the democratization of work can further goals of sustainability.
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The psychological literature on subjective probability estimation is reviewed to determine the feasibility of designing probabilistic information retrieval systems using such…
Abstract
The psychological literature on subjective probability estimation is reviewed to determine the feasibility of designing probabilistic information retrieval systems using such estimates. Their use has been considered by some writers, but psychological issues have not been addressed. Research pertinent to probabilistic information retrieval is examined and implications for probabilistic information retrieval are drawn. It is shown that accurate human probability estimation is possible, both in the laboratory and in real world tasks, e.g., in meteorological forecasting; but that it is also a task subject to systematic bias, or inaccuracy. Proposed techniques for debiasing are considered. The highly task‐dependent nature of such estimates is also discussed; two implications are that results from laboratory studies may have limited relevance to real world tasks and that empirical studies specific to the context of information retrieval need to be made. Human probability estimation appears to be a difficult task, but one which can be done well with proper training and use of debiasing techniques. It is premature to say how useful such estimates would be in probabilistic information retrieval, but their use should not yet be ruled out.
Morgan R. Clevenger and Cynthia J. MacGregor
This interorganizational discussion covers Astley and van de Ven's (1983) Organizational Analysis Matrix and key information to understand a broader, macro discussion including…
Abstract
This interorganizational discussion covers Astley and van de Ven's (1983) Organizational Analysis Matrix and key information to understand a broader, macro discussion including the purpose of organizations in society as well as overview the interorganizational relationships between the for-profit sector (i.e., businesses and corporations) and the specific sector of higher education. A consideration of motives, return on investment expectations, and interorganizational behavior is explored. This chapter highlights the complex nature of higher education and the for-profit realm, including inconsistent third-party support and intermingling from the government. Highlights from Sethi's (1975) seminal article serves as the basis for measurement and future expectations in a three-state schema for classifying corporate behavior.
Helen Blackholly and Paul Thomas
The advantages and disadvantages of food irradiation are discussed,and examples are given. Particular emphasis is given to its effect onthe nutritive qualities of food, especially…
Abstract
The advantages and disadvantages of food irradiation are discussed, and examples are given. Particular emphasis is given to its effect on the nutritive qualities of food, especially in conjunction with other widely used techniques (pesticides, for example).
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In this inevitably personal view, where I have taken documentation to embrace libraries and information centres, services and systems, I propose to stress Research rather than…
Abstract
In this inevitably personal view, where I have taken documentation to embrace libraries and information centres, services and systems, I propose to stress Research rather than Development—with one exception. Other authors will be considering the application of research results in operational systems of documentation but Herbert Coblans, as a librarian first, would have—and did—welcome the development of automated aid in the basic library processes—to this we shall return.
SO THE Nissan Company of Kyoto has laid the foundation stone of its factory in Sunderland. An era, perhaps a new era in the history of the British Motorcar Industry is really on…
Paul Ojennus and Joseph Timothy Tennis
The purpose of this paper is to propose a theoretical framework, based on contemporary philosophical aesthetics, from which principled assessments of the aesthetic value of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a theoretical framework, based on contemporary philosophical aesthetics, from which principled assessments of the aesthetic value of information organization frameworks may be conducted.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper identifies appropriate discourses within the field of philosophical aesthetics, constructs from them a framework for assessing aesthetic properties of information organization frameworks. This framework is then applied in two case studies examining the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH), and Sexual Nomenclature: A Thesaurus.
Findings
In both information organization frameworks studied, the aesthetic analysis was useful in identifying judgments of the frameworks as aesthetic judgments, in promoting discovery of further areas of aesthetic judgments, and in prompting reflection on the nature of these aesthetic judgments.
Research limitations/implications
This study provides proof-of-concept for the aesthetic evaluation of information organization frameworks. Areas of future research are identified as the role of cultural relativism in such aesthetic evaluation and identification of appropriate aesthetic properties of information organization frameworks.
Practical implications
By identifying a subset of judgments of information organization frameworks as aesthetic judgments, aesthetic evaluation of such frameworks can be made explicit and principled. Aesthetic judgments can be separated from questions of economic feasibility, functional requirements, and user-orientation. Design and maintenance of information organization frameworks can be based on these principles.
Originality/value
This study introduces a new evaluative axis for information organization frameworks based on philosophical aesthetics. By improving the evaluation of such novel frameworks, design and maintenance can be guided by these principles.
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Ahmed Abdullah, Gareth R. T. White and Brychan Thomas
This chapter discusses the use of an extended stage model for the evaluation of the adoption of e-business in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Empirical studies of…
Abstract
This chapter discusses the use of an extended stage model for the evaluation of the adoption of e-business in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Empirical studies of e-business adoption are rare in Middle Eastern and developing countries and the chapter provides valuable insight into this region, by presenting an account of the use of the extended stage model to explore the level of e-business adoption among Yemeni SMEs.
In making this examination, the challenges and opportunities that accompany e-business adoption are revealed. The internal drivers and barriers, such as finance and skills, are recognised along with the external factors that include infrastructure and legislation. It also provides valuable insight into the macro-level sociopolitical determinants of e-business adoption that have not previously been appreciated; the study was undertaken during the Yemen Civil War in 2016.
Current adoption models imply that organisations adopt technologies in a linear fashion, gradually increasing complexity and capability. This study makes an important contribution by recognising that there are multiple points at which SMEs may ‘enter’ the technology-adoption ladder.