On using artificial intelligence to integrate the design of organizational and process change in US manufacturing

The poor success rates that US manufacturing companies have experienced with computerized process and information technologies are reviewed. Reasons for this lack of success are also reviewed, indicating that inadequate pre-planning for the social as well as technology changes concommitant with modernization efforts account for most of the failures. Tools to facilitate sociotechnical integration planning are reviewed with regards to a list of acceptability criteria that tools should meet. This review indicates the need for an AI-based software program that allows modernization practitioners and academic management-of-technology scholars to simulate alternative supportive organizational-technological plans for different business and technical objectives. Such a tool called HITOP-A (Highly Integrated Technology, Organization, and People-Automated) is described here.     

Predicting risk for pregnancy by late adolescence: A social contextual perspective.

To evaluate a model of social contextual influences on risk for adolescent pregnancy, 368 target adolescents (52% female, 48% male) and their mothers, fathers, and closest age siblings were assessed 6 times over a 7-year period beginning when the target adolescents were in 7th grade. Two pathways were found to increase risk for involvement in a pregnancy by late adolescence. Middle adolescent risk-taking behavior mediated the influence of early adolescent parental warmth–involvement and deviant-peer affiliations on involvement in a pregnancy by 12th grade. Also, early adolescent academic competence mediated the relationship between parental warmth–involvement and involvement in a pregnancy by 12th grade. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Frequency and Cost of Corporate Crises1

This paper sheds light on the pattern and consequences of crises experienced by corporate Australia during the last decade. Crises are defined here as a single incident or issue with consequences that threaten the organisation's viability; thus, this study observes 55 corporate crises in Australia between 1990 and 2001. Half were operational crises; the prevalence of extortion and product recall made wholesale and retail trade the most crisis‐prone industry. In Australia, over a quarter of companies affected by crisis did not survive. Direct costs typically exceed $10 million, with a quarter costing over $100 million. Because many crises are due to systemic deficiencies in industries or companies, their causes are often apparent (at least in hindsight).     

FIR filters with field-programmable gate arrays

Distributed arithmetic techniques are the key to efficient implementation of DSP algorithms in FPGAs. The distributed arithmetic process is briefly described. A representative DSP design application in the form of an 8 tap FIR filter is offered for the Xilinx XC3042 field programmable logic array (FPGA). The design is presented in sufficient detail—from filter specifications via filter design software through detailed logic of salient data and control functions to obtain a realistic placing and routing of configurable logic block (CLBs) and in/out block (IOBs) components for simulation verification and performance evaluation vis-a-vis commercially available dedicated 8 tap FIR filter chips.     

Family economic stress and adjustment of early adolescent girls.

Proposes a family process model that links economic stress in family life to prosocial and problematic adolescent adjustment. With a sample of 220 7th-grade girls living in intact families in the rural Midwest, the theoretical constructs in the model were measured using both trained observer and family member reports. In general, results were consistent with the proposed model. Economic pressures led to depression and demoralization for both parents, the result of which was greater marital conflict and disruptions in skillful parenting. The emotions and behaviors of both mothers and fathers were almost equally affected by financial difficulties, and disruptions in each parent's childrearing behaviors had adverse consequences for adolescent development. Parents' depressed mood and disrupted childrearing practices both directly affected girls' adjustment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Studies of the fracture surface of rice grains using environmental scanning electron microscopy

Raw and processed grains of rice (Oryza sativa) were examined using the environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM), which allows specimens to be imaged at high resolution with minimal preparation. Images were obtained for milled rice grains that were fractured along natural transverse fracture planes. The images showed two distinct features: a smooth surface, where the fracture plane is suggested to be between endosperm cells, and a rough, more disorganised surface, which is likely to correspond to the fracture plane passing through an endosperm cell. Individual starch granules exposed in the fractured surface ranged from 3 to 11 µm in diameter. The ESEM revealed morphological differences between grains of different varieties. Parboiled rice showed a glassy fracture surface in which features of endosperm cells and starch granules were clearly recognisable but smaller than those of uncooked rice grains. Rice grains that had been heated and puffed showed a complete loss of organisational structure. The ESEM was able to capture the effect of processing treatments on the organisational structure of the grains. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry