The development process for complex system is typically iterative in nature. Among the critical decisions in managing such process involves deciding how to partition the system development into iterations. This paper proposes a mathematical model that captures the dynamics of such iterative process. The analysis of two special cases of the model provides an insight into how such decision should be made. / Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA)

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The transient extensional rheology and the dynamics of elastocapillary thinning in aqueous solutions of polyethylene oxide (PEO) are studied with high-speed digital video microscopy. At long times, the evolution of the thread radius deviates from self-similar exponential decay and competition between elastic, capillary and inertial forces leads to the formation of a periodic array of beads connected by axially-uniform ligaments. This configuration is unstable and successive instabilities propagate from the necks connecting the beads and ligaments. This iterated process results in multiple generations of beads developing along the string in general agreement with predictions of Chang et al. [Phys Fluids, 11, 1717 (1999)] although the experiments yield a different recursion relation between the successive generations of beads. At long times, finite extensibility truncates the iterated instability, and slow axial translation of the bead arrays along the interconnecting threads leads to progressive coalescence before the ultimate rupture of the fluid column. Despite these dynamical complexities it is still possible to measure the steady growth in the transient extensional viscosity by monitoring the slow capillarydriven thinning in the cylindrical ligaments between beads. / Accepted for publication in JNNFM, December 2005. / NASA and the Portuguese Science Foundation

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The aim of this thesis is to determine the market value of the company Vinselekt Michlovský a.s. to date of 1st May, 2011 for the purpose of the purchase by an unknown investor. The first part of the valuation process is focused on the strategic analysis of wine market in the Czech Republic including the identification of all the factors affecting the above mentioned market. The financial stability and business performance were assessed through the financial analysis and its outcome led to confirmation of the principle of going concern resulting in choice of some of income aproaches for the company evaluation. In order to estimate the weighted average cost of capital, that is required to discount the future returns, an iterative process optimizing the capital structure was used. In the conclusion of the thesis the market value of the company was determined using DCF Entity method.

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At Saab Training & Simulation, there are set strength requirements in the form of quality testing for its products through vibration testing. This is done to ensure the quality of the products, but the vibration machine can only test products up to a set weight limit. The purpose is to investigate the possibility of weight reduction for a fixture used in vibration testing through simulation, with the goal of testing heavier products. As part of this, the tools of topology optimization and design of experiments have been explored in an iterative process to develop design proposals. These design proposals have been evaluated through finite element analysis. The result is the development of three design proposals, out of which the proposal that advanced is presented with a weight reduction of 32,41%.

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Stadsplaneringen utgör en viktig roll i arbetet för att främja en hållbar utveckling. Enligt Miljöbalken ska en behovsbedömning göras för varje upprättad detaljplan i syftet att utreda huruvida den leder till en betydande miljöpåverkan eller ej. Den bedömningen baseras dock ofta på bristfällig kunskap om de specifika miljöindikatorer som utvärderas. Det ges heller inget utrymme för förändringar i själva planen för att eliminera identifierad miljöpåverkan. En förbättrad strategi för behovsbedömning som innefattar ett anpassningsfokus och tidigt minimerar miljökonsekvenserna är därför önskvärd. En studie gjordes av arbetsprocessen för behovsbedömning i samband med detaljplanering på Örebro kommun i syfte att upprätta ett nytt, mer holistiskt arbetssätt för behovsbedömningsprocessen inom detaljplanering för att underlätta och förbättra arbetet för en hållbar stadsutveckling. Djupgående intervjuer utfördes på kommunen och teorier om hållbar utveckling samt lagar studerades. Mål som relaterade till hållbarhet ur kommunens policydokument sammanfattades. Målet var att undersöka hur det kunde skapas en förändrad strategi med tillhörande processverktyg för behovsbedömning inom detaljplanering, på Örebro kommun, som är praktiskt tillämpbar samt följer rådande lagar och policyer. Arbetet resulterade i ett strategidokument med en förändrad arbetsprocess och två olika tillhörande checklistor. Slutsatsen är att en ny strategi ska innehålla ett iterativt och tvärvetenskapligt arbetssätt samt en alternering mellan checklistorna beroende på detaljplanens omfattning. Det sistnämnda för att strategin ska kunna tillämpas inom kommunorganisationens strikta tidsramar, utan att kompromissa med kvaliteten på miljöarbetet vid omfattande detaljplaner som potentiellt ger stor miljöpåverkan. / Urban planning plays an important role when working for achieving sustainable development. According to the Swedish Environmental Code, a screening has to be executed for every local plan to investigate whether or not the plan generates significant environmental impact. The screening process is however often based on poor knowledge about the environmental aspects that are evaluated, and neither is there room for adaptation of the plan to eliminate identified environmental impact. An improved strategy for the screening process is needed, which has emphasis on the adaptation and a reduction of the environmental impact early in the process. In this master thesis, the screening process for local planning was studied at the municipality in Örebro, a medium sized city in Sweden. The purpose of the study was to establish a new more holistic working process for screening within local planning, to facilitate and enhance sustainable urban planning. Interviews were carried out at the planning department of the municipality, and sustainable development theories and the law were studied. Municipality targets that related to sustainability were extracted from their policy documents and summarized. The objective was to investigate whether an alternative strategy with suitable process tools could be created for screening within local planning at the municipality that is also applicable in practice and in line with prevailing laws and policies. The thesis resulted in a strategy document and two accompanying checklists, and the conclusion is that a new strategy should include an iterative and multidisciplinary working process, along with an alternation between checklists, depending on scope of the local plan. This strategy should be applicable within the municipality organization without compromising the environmental assessment quality when carrying out an extensive local plan that entails a potentially big environmental impact.