The measurements of autonomy and technology for task svstems design

Numerous experiments in job enlargement, direct worker participation and autonomous workgroups have been reported. However, little cumulative knowledge has been gained through a lack of conceptual and theoretical bases. Moreover, worker autonomy and technology, the major variables in those experiments either were measured by questioning workers and supervisors and are consequently modified by their perception, or were measured in a very broad fashion.

In the present work more objective and specific measures for technology and autonomy, which can link job design research and experiments with job design practice, were developed and validated. Automony and technology are of course multidimensional concepts. Relevant aspects for job design are derived from a model for task related decision making which shows that the degree of worker autonomy is contingent on task technology and worker characteristics.

Technology is measured by cycle time, task repetitiveness, task skill level, disturbance level of a task and the disruption potential of a task system, through observation. A distinction is made between autonomy in regulation, which keeps the process on target by counteracting disturbances and autonomy in control which specifies targets. Measures for both types of autonomy are developed. The measures of technology and autonomy were tested in a sample consisting of 411 work stations in industry and proved to be effective and efficient for job design purposes.     

SCALE‐UP and FIELD TEST of the VACUUM/STEAM/VACUUM SURFACE INTERVENTION PROCESS FOR POULTRY1

The Vacuum/Steam/Vacuum surface intervention pilot plant processor was scaled up to a mobile unit that can be transported to close proximity of chicken processing plants. After several modifications to the mandrel that supports the broiler carcass in the treatment chamber to minimize mechanical damage, the unit was capable of 1.1 log cfu/mL kill of inoculated Listeria innocua and 1.4 log cfu/mL kill of inoculated E. coli K‐12. Field tests achieved 1.4 log kill of E. coli and 1.2 log kill of Campylobacter on freshly processed chicken using 3 cycles and 138C saturated steam. But, there was extensive mechanical damage. the mandrel was modified in the Eastern Regional Research Center pilot plant to eliminate the mechanical damage. With mechanical damage eliminated, the bacteria kill was 1.1–1.5 log of inoculated E. coli K‐12 with a total process time of 1.1 s.     

COMPARATIVE VALIDITY OF DIFFERENT STRATEGIES OF CONSTRUCTING PERSONALITY INVENTORY SCALES.

TO EXAMINE THE DIFFERENTIAL VALIDITY OF PERSONALITY INVENTORY SCALES DEVELOPED BY DIFFERENT STRATEGIES OF SCALE CONSTRUCTION, 6 STRATEGIES WERE COMPARED: FACTOR ANALYTIC, EMPIRICAL GROUP DISCRIMINATIVE, INTUITIVE-THEORETICAL, INTUITIVE-RATIONAL, STYLISTIC-PSYCHOMETRIC, AND RANDOM. A COMMON ITEM POOL, THAT OF THE CPI, WAS USED TO CONSTRUCT SETS OF 11 SCALES BY EACH OF THE 6 STRATEGIES. THE SS WERE APPROXIMATELY 200 UNIVERSITY FRESHMAN GIRLS, FOR WHOM CPI RESPONSES AND 13 CRITERION MEASURES WERE AVAILABLE. THESE 13 CRITERIA INCLUDED AN INDEX OF SORORITY MEMBERSHIP; AN EXPERIMENTAL MEASURE OF CONFORMITY; PEER RATINGS ON THE TRAITS OF DOMINANCE, SOCIABILITY, RESPONSIBILITY, PSYCHOLOGICAL-MINDEDNESS, AND FEMININITY; A PEER RATING OF HOW WELL S WAS KNOWN; S'S AVERAGE NUMBER OF DATES PER MO.; COLLEGE GRADE POINT AVERAGE; COLLEGE ACHIEVEMENT RELATIVE TO ABILITY; COLLEGE MAJOR; AND COLLEGE DROPOUT. MULTIPLE REGRESSION PROCEDURES WERE USED IN A DOUBLE CROSS-VALIDATION DESIGN. RESULTS INDICATED THAT THE 4 PRIMARY STRATEGIES OF SCALE CONSTRUCTION DID NOT DIFFER FROM ONE ANOTHER IN OVERALL VALIDITY; ALL 4 WERE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE VALID THAN THE STYLISTIC AND RANDOM SCALES, WHICH IN TURN DID NOT DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY FROM EACH OTHER. (2 P. REF.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Minimum-distance zoning in transportation problems

The object of this paper is to minimize transportation costs when (1) zoning demand points to be serviced by existing supply points, or (2) zoning a supply point to service given demand points.     

SIMPLE MODELS OR SIMPLE PROCESSES? SOME RESEARCH ON CLINICAL JUDGMENTS.

REVIEWS STUDIES OF THE RELIABILITY AND THE VALIDITY OF DESCRIPTIVE, DIAGNOSTIC, AND PROGNOSTIC JUDGMENTS IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY AS A PRELUDE TO A MORE TECHNICAL DISCUSSION OF PRESENT-DAY METHODOLOGIES FOR STUDYING THE CLINICAL JUDGMENT PROCESS, I.E., THE MANNER AND EXTENT TO WHICH A JUDGE UTILIZES INFORMATION IN A COMPLEX (E.G., CURVILINEAR AND/OR CONFIGURAL) AS OPPOSED TO A MORE LINEAR MANNER. STUDIES OF THE JUDGMENTAL PROCESSES INVOLVED IN IMPORTANT DECISIONS IN SUCH FIELDS AS MEDICINE (DIAGNOSING MALIGNANT VS. BENIGN ULCERS), PSYCHIATRY (DECIDING ON THE ADVISABILITY OF GRANTING TEMPORARY LIBERTY FOR PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS), CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY (DIAGNOSING NEUROSIS VS. PSYCHOSIS FROM MMPI PROFILES), AND SECURITIES ANALYSIS (PREDICTING FUTURE STOCK PRICES) ARE BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. THE FINDINGS FROM AN INTENSIVE INVESTIGATION OF THE PROCESS OF LEARNING CLINICAL INFERENCE PROVOKE SOME SPECULATIONS ABOUT THE OPTIMAL CONDITIONS FOR SUCH LEARNING TO OCCUR. (3 P. REF.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Extent of conversion and its effect on the mechanical performance of Bis-GMA/PEGDMA-based resins and their composites with continuous glass fibres

The reaction mechanism of bisphenol A bis(2-hydroxy propyl) methacrylate (Bis-GMA) and polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate (PEGDMA) was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. Composites of S2-glass fibres with different formulations of Bis-GMA/PEGDMA were fabricated by filament winding. The mechanical properties of neat resins and composites were investigated by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) and a three-point-bending flexural test.     

Repair policies for additively degrading machines

This paper describes a method for determining repair policies for machines whose output degrades additively over time. The novelty of the models is that they consider both the state of the machines as well as the state of the repair facility when making repair decisions. The objective in the models is to maximize long-run production. In one model, we approximate the queue waiting time by a geometric random variable, while in the second model we approximate the waiting time by a sequence of geometric random variables (with different means). We show that as the average repair queue increases, the decision to repair must be made earlier. In addition, we show empirically that the simple geometric waiting time approximation becomes less accurate as the queue length increases and that the approximation understates the expected long-run output of the machine. A plastic moulding facility is used to motivate the problem. Computational results using industry supplied data are presented. The results indicate that substantial (10-20%) productivity improvement can be realized using the derived repair policies instead of policies that do not consider the repair queue.     

Adaptive Default Hierarchy Formation

Autonomous systems are likely to be required to face situations that cannot be foreseen by their designers. The potential for perpetually novel situations places a premium on mechanisms that allow for automatic adaptation in a general setting. The term reinforcement learning problems (Mendel and McLaren, 1970) generally describes problems where a control system must adapt based on performance-only feedback. This paper considers the learning classifier system (LCS) as an approach to reinforcement learning problems. An LCS is a type of adaptive expert system that uses a knowledge base of production rules in a low-level syntax that can be manipulated by a genetic algorithm (GA) (Holland. 1975; Goldberg, 1989) Genetic algorithms comprise a class of computerized search procedures that are based on the mechanics of natural genetics (Goldberg, 1989; Holland. 1975). An important feature of the LCS paradigm is the possible adaptive formation of default hierarchies (layered sets of default and exception rules) )Holland et al., 1986). This paper examines the problem of default hierarchy formation under the conventional bid-competition method of LCS conflict resolution, and suggests the necessity auction and a separate priority factor as modifications to this method. Simulations show the utility of this method. Final discussion presents conclusions and suggests avenues for further research     

FixtureNet: interactive computer-aided design via the World Wide Web

The Internet offers tremendous potential for rapid development of mechanical products to meet global competition. In the past several years, a variety of geometric algorithms have been developed to evaluate computer-aided design (CAD) models with respect to manufacturing properties such as feedability, fixturability, assemblability, etc. Unfortunately, most of these algorithms are tailored to a particular CAD system and format and so have not been widely tested by industry. The World Wide Web may offer a solution: its simple interface language offers ade factostandard for the exchange of geometric data with industry and research groups. In this paper, we describe a feasibility study for such an interactive system, which can be tested directly athttp://teamster.usc.edu/fixture/