Acoustics, intonation and perception are fields that musicians deal with every day. Even so, they are rarely taught extensively in musical education. In my artistic project I investigated how new knowledge in these fields could work as a musical resource and inspire to new solo music for double bass.  My method has been to compose studies, to make use of this new knowledge in a musical setting. In the etudes I have isolated small areas such as; beating, multiphonics, overpressure, just intonation intervals, the pitch-rhythm continuum, difference tones and microtonal modulation. This work has changed my view of the concept tone, interval and consonance/dissonance. Working this way has triggered a lot of inspiration and productivity for new unexpected music. This text could be useful for double bass or string players, composers for double bass, musicians that want inspiration in solo playing or incorporate Just Intonation in their musical language. / <p>Ten Variations of D</p><p>Oaktree</p><p>Intoning</p><p>Examenskonserten</p><p>Vilhelm Bromander kontrabas &amp; komposition</p><p></p><p>Two Seconds </p><p>Vilhelm Bromander - kontrabas &amp; komposition, Benedikt Bindewald - viola</p>

El Tablero Kanban es un sistema de información físico asociado a la metodología lean. Es un tablero que refleja los estados de las actividades que se deben realizar en un proceso determinado. Con tarjetas-señal las personas asumen sus responsabilidades. Al poder visualizar el flujo de trabajo, se muestran rápidamente los logros y problemas del proceso. Con esta herramienta los equipos logran enfocarse en terminar las tareas que tienen asignadas y no en acumular tareas iniciadas. El objetivo general del presente trabajo es evaluar y desarrollar una herramienta tecnológica para la implementación de Tableros Kanban Virtuales, que sea expresiva, con el objeto de ser lo más parecido posible a un Tablero Kanban Físico, donde no se impone una sintaxis y no se define una semántica, sino que la define el grupo que lo ocupa. Con las herramientas existentes, la sintaxis y la semántica están contextualizadas y acopladas, por lo que los que las usen, deben adaptarse a esas estructuras, siendo que los principios de los Tableros Kanban definen que ellos se deben adaptar a la realidad, y que además se puedan ocupar en los más variados contextos. El trabajo fue realizado evaluando las alternativas existentes de tableros físicos, virtuales y teóricos, analizando sus características, sintaxis, semánticas y agrupando los gestos ocupados para poder extraer la información general relevante que sea capaz de cubrir la mayor cantidad de contextos posibles para que el tablero Kanban Virtual sea capaz de adaptarse a la realidad de cualquier grupo que lo use. El resultado final fue la implementación en ambiente Web de un grupo de gestos genéricos que se pueden aplicar a un grupo de objetos sintácticos, que fueron priorizados e implementados por importancia de su uso, resultando en un Tablero Kanban Virtual expresivo, adaptable a la mayoría de los contextos revisados, desarrollado de forma modular con estándares y publicado como código abierto. Se concluye que es factible construir una herramienta que no imponga una semántica, que defina un mínimo de sintaxis, que soporte los gestos necesarios y que sea lo suficientemente expresiva como para reemplazar o complementar de manera correcta a un Tablero Kanban Físico, con las ventajas de un Tablero Kanban Virtual. Se llama eKanban.

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Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Agricultural Economics / Andrew P. Barkley / Previous studies show that there has been a deceleration in world wheat yield growth, specifically in irrigated areas, which has led some to believe that the potential for genetic gains is slowing. Some reports claim that the Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maiz y Trigo (CIMMYT) breeding program "reached a plateau" in the 1980s. Such a breeding plateau would have global ramifications, since it is often poor consumers who benefit the most from yield enhancement of staple crops including wheat. CIMMYT estimates that by 2020, the developing world will need 40% more wheat than it consumes today. Because of the lack of involvement by private breeders in most low-income countries, CIMMYT, whose germplasm is used extensively in the developing world, will need to ensure that modern varieties that they release are increasing in yield to meet the rising wheat demand in the developing world. CIMMYT, a non-profit organization, distributes improved germplasm to national agricultural research systems (NARS) for worldwide utilization. CIMMYT has consistently invested a large amount of public expenditures in wheat breeding research each year for several decades. Estimates of the impact of the wheat breeding program on increasing wheat yields provides information to scientists, administrators, and policy makers regarding the efficacy and return to these investments. Quantitative estimates of yield improvements due to the wheat breeding program provide important information for future funding decisions. Wheat lines released by CIMMYT during 1962-2002 were analyzed to estimate genetic yield increases associated with the CIMMYT breeding program using test plot data from the Yaqui Valley in Mexico from 1990-2002. Using several econometric techniques including a Just-Pope production function to account for multiplicative heteroscedasticity across the different varieties, results indicate that through the release of modern varieties CIMMYT has contributed 53.77 kg/ha to yield annually in Mexico’s Yaqui Valley during 1962-2002. Estimates of the gains attributed to CIMMYT’s breeding program on a global scale equal 481.47 million (2002) USD annually from 1990-2002. CIMMYT’s average total wheat breeding cost in from 1990-2002 was roughly 13.95 million USD making the average cost-benefit ratio approximately 1:34.

Since the end of the Cold War, traditional justifications for war have diminished in relevance and importance, while the use of Humanitarian Military Interventions (HMI) has proliferated, to the point that formerly traditional wars – e.g. Afghanistan and Iraq invasions – have become retroactively redefined as HMIs. While HMI suffers from a number of problems, from international law to historical track record, its proponents have managed to turn aside all arguments by claiming they represent either statistical outliers, improper implementation, or at best indicate a need for a certain degree of fine-tuning. Crucially, the validity of the HMI practice is never brought into question. In order to attempt to break this dialectic stalemate, this dissertation recasts HMI as a Kuhnian paradigm. Doing so provides for a better understanding of HMI as a holistic Weltanschauung, and allows the problems of HMI to be understood as anomalies. Unlike arguments, anomalies need not engage with every discrete position held by the paradigm. Instead, they serve as a direct demonstration of the untenability of a position, as evidenced by systemic failure to produce the desired results. Consequently, the paradigm approach allows for a binary resolution to the problems of HMI: either the anomalies can be explained by the paradigm, or the paradigm has failed. The present analysis begins with an examination of paradigms and their structures, and then follows the history and context of HMI is considered from a philosophical and historical perspectives. Then, the structure of HMI as a paradigm is unpacked, with the attendant ends, means, justifications, and implications. Finally, four categories of HMI anomalies are presented, leading to the conclusion that the HMI paradigm is a failed one.

It is expected from highly technical first line supervisors to manage an underground coal mining production unit and to reach stretched targets when they have very little operational management skills. A myriad of operational management philosophies are available that were not developed for a mining environment as such. These philosophies are focused on company level implementation and not on production unit level. To be used in the mining production unit is therefore necessary to adapt these philosophies. The first line supervisor needs an operational management business model that will assist and guide him/her in managing the production unit in order that production, cost and quality targets can be achieved. The first line supervisor must also be able to adapt quickly to changing requirements. The answer lies in the application of current world-class operational management philosophies to the management of the coal mining production unit. In the thesis an operational management model to assist the first line supervisor is derived from current operational management philosophies. The research approach that was followed is: -- Current world-class operational management philosophies were investigated. -- The management philosophies to be analysed in detail were identified as Total Quality Management, Just-in-Time and Theory of Constraints. -- From these philosophies the key elements to be used in the development of an operational management model for an underground mining production unit were determined. -- These key elements were used as building blocks to develop the mining model. -- The developed model was illustrated utilizing real data from a production section. The developed mining model provides a framework for managing the production unit on a day-to-day basis, but with a long-term vision. To achieve this a strategic and operational level exist in the model, with different focus areas. The purpose of the strategic level is to focus the unit on the requirements of the customer, and to plan for a longer time horizon. The operational level assists the first line supervisor in managing the day-to-day operations of the production unit. The model also provides tools to continuously monitor and improve the performance of the unit. For any new initiative to be successful proper planning, training and an implementation plan are necessary. The planning phase includes change management and creating awareness of the mining model. Training consists of various training modules, presented over the implementation period. Each production unit that is introduced to the mining model follows a predetermined implementation plan with constant feedback on the progress made. The support from top management is actively demonstrated during the implementation period. A phased in rollout of the mining model is prescribed, i.e. not all production units will be introduced to the model at once. The research highlighted the similarities that exist between the three operational management philosophies, leading to a cohesive set of building blocks for the mining model. Where differences between the three philosophies existed the most appropriate approach was selected, based on the evaluation of the elements. This highlights the impact that the evaluation process has on the design of the mining model, and forces one to scrutinize the process for ambiguity and partiality. This is one area where the research can be refined. It is suggested that a cross-functional team is used in the evaluation and design process. To conclude, the mining model developed and illustrated provides the coal mining company with a tool that will assist a highly skilled technical first line supervisor with operational management practices based on world class operational management philosophies. / Dissertation (MSc(Industrial Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Industrial and Systems Engineering / unrestricted

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This master thesis is focussed on optimalization of material flow in an automotive company. First part introduce theoretical background. Automotive industry and its actual trends on global markets. Follows short introduction of the company where project of this thesis was executed. Main theoretical part describes concept of lean management, its tools in practical examples, but it is also focussed on philosophical approach to the work and mindset of the company. Follows the aplication part based on theoretical background. The whole project of this master thesis is focussed on specific area called PC store. At first this area is showed in context of overall material flow. Shortly there are introduced processes and areas where full material packaging flows. Follows deeper analysis and optimalization of PC store itself. There are three approaches of stock and lead time reduction applied. Last part shows the comparison of initial and future state including performed changes.

The Master's Thesis is focused on optimization of inbound logistics of Toyota Peugeot Citroën Automobile. The aim of the Master's Thesis is analysis of current status of logistics in TPCA and detailed observation and research of logistic processes and routes with emphasis on the planning system. Factors affecting the decision making during logistics planning and process of information searching were identified with special attention for milk-routes. First chapter describes development of logistics a specifics of logistics in automotive industry. Following chapter analyse current status of logistics, types of logistic routes a system of the planning. Third chapter propose options for logistics planning optimization with help of improved information source obtaining, study the suitability of used logistics routes and test possibilities of utilization of commercial software. Last chapter of thesis is comparing logistics of TPCA and Škoda Auto.

This diploma focuses on the real use of operations research methods in conjunction with logistics technologies. The aim is to show the way of optimization and simulation methods application and to evaluate if these methods are suitable tools for logistics technology application. Following logistic technologies were analysed: Just in Time, Kanban, Cross-Docking and Hub and Spoke. Used mathematical tools include: mixed linear programming models, distribution models, methods of multi-criteria evaluation and simulation models. On the basis of mathematical models 4 examples of new technologies introduction or analysis of already functioning systems have been solved.