[ES] El ritmo de desarrollo tecnológico actual y la investigación científica están permitiendo alcanzar mayores niveles de automatización en todos los sectores industriales. Uno de los ejemplos más representativos es el uso de aeronaves no tripuladas (UAS) en diferentes aplicaciones. Debido al gran potencial de este tipo de aeronaves, las Autoridades de Aviación Civil están desarrollando un nuevo marco regulatorio que permita integrarlas en el espacio aéreo civil de forma segura. El objetivo consiste en garantizar que la operación con UAS se realice con un nivel de seguridad equivalente al de la aviación tripulada convencional. Para tratar de alcanzar este objetivo, esta tesis propone aumentar el nivel de automatización de un UAS dotando al sistema embarcado con la capacidad de Gestión Automática de Contingencias (ACM). La función del sistema ACM es la de asesorar al piloto en el momento en que se produce una contingencia en vuelo; y en última instancia, tomar el control total de la aeronave si la situación así' lo requiere (por ejemplo, en caso de pérdida del enlace de Comunicación y Control (C2)) o si el piloto delega la resolución del conflicto al sistema automático. Para acreditar que las nuevas funciones no suponen un riesgo añadido para la operación, resultará determinante seguir metodologías de diseño seguro basadas en los estándares de la industria aeroespacial. La tesis propone una solución tecnológica basada en tres pilares: a) una arquitectura software para el sistema automático a bordo de la aeronave que trate de adaptar la trayectoria de vuelo a la condición operacional del vehículo, equilibrando seguridad y robustez; b) una especificación de Plan de Misión novedosa que permita aumentar la predictibilidad de la aeronave tras sufrir una contingencia; y c) un modelo de riesgo que permita determinar la ruta que minimiza el riesgo derivado de la operación. Las diferentes propuestas realizadas en esta tesis se han implementado en un demostrador y se han validado en un entorno de simulación. Los resultados obtenidos apoyan la idea de que dotar al sistema embarcado de mayor grado de automatización puede ser un mecanismo viable hacia la integración segura de UAS en el espacio aéreo civil. En concreto, los resultados muestran que el sistema ACM propuesto es capaz de reducir el riesgo de la operación tras sufrir una contingencia y que, cuando esto ocurre, la respuesta de la aeronave sigue siendo predecible, incluso si el piloto no puede intervenir. / [CA] El ritme de desenvolupament tecnològic actual i la investigació científica estan permetent implementar majors nivells d'automatització a tots els àmbits de la indústria. Un dels exemples més representatius és l'ús d'aeronaus no tripulades (UAS) en diferents aplicacions. Vist el gran potencial d'aquest tipus d'aeronaus, les Autoritats d'Aviació Civil estan tractant de desenvolupar un nou marc regulador que permeta integrar-les en l'espai aeri civil de forma segura. Es tracta de garantir que l'operació d'un UAS es realitza amb un nivell de seguretat equivalent al de l'aviació tripulada convencional. Per tal d'assolir aquest objectiu, aquesta tesi proposa augmentar el nivell d'automatització d'un UAS dotant el sistema embarcat amb la capacitat de Gestió Automàtica de Contingències (ACM). La funció del sistema ACM és assessorar el pilot quan ocorre una contingència en vol; i en última instància, prendre el control total sobre l'aeronau si és necessari (per exemple, en cas de pèrdua de l'enllaç de Comunicació i Control (C2)) o si el pilot delega la resolució del conflicte al sistema automàtic. Per tal d'acreditar que les noves funcions del sistema automàtic no comporten un risc afegit per a l'operació, resultarà determinant emprar metodologies de disseny segur d'acord amb els estàndards de la indústria aeroespacial. La tesi proposa una solució tecnològica basada en tres pilars: a) una arquitectura software per al sistema automàtic a bord de l'aeronau que tracte d'adaptar la trajectòria de vol a la condició operacional del vehicle, equilibrant seguretat i robustesa; b) una especificació de Pla de Missió innovadora que permeta augmentar la predictibilitat de l'aeronau quan ocorre una contingència; i c) un model de risc que permeta determinar la ruta que minimitza el risc derivat de l'operació. Les distintes propostes realitzades en aquesta tesi s'han implementat sobre un demostrador i s'han validat en un entorn de simulació. Els resultats de la investigació recolzen la idea que dotar el sistema embarcat d'un major grau d'automatització pot ser un mecanisme adient per integrar els UAS en l'espai aeri civil de manera segura. En concret, els resultats indiquen que el sistema ACM és capaç de reduir el risc de l'operació quan ocorre una contingència i que en eixe cas, la resposta de l'aeronau segueix sent predicible, fins i tot si el pilot no hi pot intervenir. / [EN] Technological development and scientific research are steadily enabling higher levels of automation in the global industry. In the aerospace sector, the operation of Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) is a clear example. Given the huge potential of the UAS market, Civil Aviation Authorities are elaborating a new regulatory framework for the safe integration of UAS into the civil airspace. The general goal is ensuring that the operation of UAS has an Equivalent Level of Safety (ELOS) to that of manned aviation. To meet the previous goal, this thesis advocates for increasing the level of automation of UAS operations by providing the automatic system on-board the aircraft with Automated Contingency Management (ACM) functions. ACM functions are designed to assist the pilot-in-command in case a contingency, and ultimately to fully replace the pilot if this is required by the situation (e.g. due to a Command and Control (C2) link loss) or if the pilot decides so. However, in order for automation to be safe, automated functions must be developed following safe design methodologies based on aerospace standards. The thesis develops a technological solution that is based on three pillars: a) a software architecture for the automatic system on-board the aircraft that tries to autonomously adapt to contingencies while still achieving mission objectives; b) a novel Mission Plan specification than increases predictability in the event of a contingency; and c) a probabilistic risk model that ensures that the flight trajectory is optimal from the point of view of the risk exposure. The different proposals are prototyped and validated using a simulation environment. The results obtained support the idea that an increase in the automation level of the aircraft can be an effective means towards the safe integration of UAS into the civil airspace. The proposed ACM functions are proved to reduce the operational risk in the event of a contingency, while ensure that the aircraft remains predictable, even without pilot intervention. / En primer lloc, vull fer constar que aquesta tesi ha estat co-financiada pel Fons Social Europeu 2014-2020 i pel programa VALI+d de la Generalitat Valenciana (expedient número ACIF/2016/197). / Usach Molina, H. (2019). Automated Contingency Management in Unmanned Aircraft Systems [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/130202

Date: 2024-05-29 Level: Bachelor thesis in Business Administration, 15 cr Institution: School of Business, Society and Engineering, Mälardalen University Authors: Robert Bildt, Ebrahim Alibhai, Sebastian Karlsson Title: The Organizational Puzzle: Congruence and its Impact on Change Processes Supervisor: Johan Grinbergs Keywords: Congruence, Communication, Organizational change, Management ControlSystems, Leadership, Contingency Theory Research question: How does congruence between the leader and their organizationalcontext affect organizational changes? Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate and analyze how congruence betweenthe leader and their organizational context affects adaptability to changes in the organization.By examining these aspects, we can gain deeper insight and understanding of howcongruence can influence the implementation of organizational change. Method: A case study was conducted using a qualitative method for data collection and dataprocessing. To gather empirical data, semi-structured interviews were conducted, which werelater used for a thematic analysis. Conclusion: The conclusion is that communication is crucial for achieving congruencewithin an organization. Effective communication helps leaders adapt to the organizationalcontext, motivate employees and manage changes efficiently. In the studied organization,respondents indicated that involvement, communication and transparency were central toachieving congruence, despite the challenges varying between departments. Leadersprioritized communication in change management, which facilitated employees'understanding and acceptance of changes.

Yes / This paper proposes a novel method for planning active distribution networks (ADNs) with the integration of an active network management (ANM) scheme using coordinated voltage control (CVC) through on-load tap changer (OLTC) transformers. The method was formulated as a security-constrained optimal power flow (SCOPF) problem to minimize total operational costs, which maximizes the utilization of renewable distributed generators (DGs) over a planning horizon. The ANM scheme was applied using OLTC to ensure safe operation and reduce voltage violations in the network. To analyse the impact of ANM, the planning problem was examined both with and without the ANM scheme. Moreover, SCOPF, considering the N-1 line contingency analysis and multi-DG configuration, was implemented to analyse the feasibility of the proposed method and the advantages of ANM under contingency situations. The method was validated on a weakly-meshed 16-bus UK generic distribution system (UKGDS). The results showed that ANM can lower operational costs and maintain network voltage for operation in feasible conditions even in the case of a contingency. Moreover, the ANM scheme mitigated the voltage rise effect caused by DGs and maximized their utilization.

Behaving in novel ways is essential to the development of the types of complex performances described by the term creativity, problem solving, and perseverance. Some research suggests that response variability is an operant and a critical component of novel behavior. However, other account of novel behavior may be more parsimonious. Topographical variability has rarely been examined, nor has operant variability with organisms with baselines featuring stereotypic responding. This study examined the effects of a variability-specifying contingency on the cumulative novel responses of undergraduate students. Using the PORTL apparatus, participants interacted with a ball with a single hand. When the variability-specifying contingency was in effect, novel topographies were reinforced. When a reinforce every response condition was implemented, the participants did not emit any novel responses. When variability-specifying contingencies were in effect, novel responses were rarely followed by subsequent novel responses. They were mostly followed by repeated emission of the same topography, or by other previously emitted topographies. Novel responding did not persist long, although the variability-specifying contingency remained in effect and the potential for novel responding was great. The variability-specifying contingency often resulted in stereotypic response chains. Each of these findings call into the question the assertion that variability is an operant and suggests other possible explanations for the observed novelty.

This study seeks to examine the precise way it may be said that God takes risks in creating and governing this world. In order to articulate this model of providence various texts of scripture are studied which have either been overlooked or interpreted differently in discussions of divine providence. These texts reveal a deity who enters into genuine give-and-take relations with creatures, a God who is genuinely responsive and who may be said to take risks in that God does not get everything he desires in these relationships. Furthermore, the traditional texts used to defend the no-risk view of providence are examined and shown that they do not, in fact, teach the idea that God is the cause of everything which happens in the world such that the divine will is never thwarted in the leas detail. The biblical teaching of God in reciprocal relations with his creatures is then discussed in theological and philosophical terms. The nature of God is here understood as loving, wise, faithful yet free, almighty, competent and resourceful. These ideas are explicated in light of the more traditional theological/philosophical understanding of God. Finally, some of the implications of this relational model of God are examined to see the ways in which it may be said that God takes risks and whose will may be thwarted. The crucial watershed in this regard is whether or not there is any conditionality in the godhead. The no-risk view denies, while the risk model affirms, that some aspects of God's will, knowledge, and actions are contingent. In order to grasp the differences between the two models the doctrines and practices involved in salvation, the problem of evil, prayer and guidance are examined to see what each model says about them. It is claimed that· .the relational or risk model is superior to the no-risk model both in terms of theoretical coherence and the practice of the Christian life. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / Th. D. (Sytematic Theology)

The thesis focuses on those factors which affect firm growth in the setting of the Chinese transition economy, such as size, age, entrepreneurship, resources, and environment. As regards the complexity of the business expansion mechanism, an interdisciplinary approach combining the fields of economics and management is adopted. Using fieldwork methods, new data were gathered in face-to-face interviews with 83 owner-managers of the Chinese privately owned firms in P. R. China in 2004, as well as in follow-up telephone interviews in 2006. The unique body of qualitative and quantitative data in terms of firm operation, human resources management, finance, technology and innovation, enterprise culture and competitive environment, were collected by a specially designed survey instrument, and enabled a number of new hypotheses to be tested in both economic and managerial aspects. With respect to the modern developments of Gibrat’s Law (1931) and Jovanovic’s Learning Theory (1982) in economics, the effects of two “stylized factors”, namely size and age, along with a vector of firm-specific, environmental and selection bias variables, on firm growth, were examined in Heckman’s (1979) two-step selection model with the correction for sample selection bias and heteroscedasticity. The results indicated that the “stylized facts” that smaller and younger firms grew faster were also valid in the setting of China. This thesis also explored managerial factors contributing to firm growth – viz. entrepreneurship theory, resource-based view in strategic management, and contingency theory in organizational behaviour. A variety of statistical methods were utilized to operationalize entrepreneurial orientation (EO), intangible assets (IA), and contingency factors (e.g. structure, environment, strategy, etc), and econometric models were estimated to examine their relationship with firm dynamics. The evidence suggested that IA might be more capable of facilitating firm growth than EO. However, when both were disaggregated into a lower level of attributes, the influences on growth may vary. Further, contingency theory, originally proposed for the case of larger firms in the west, was also validated in this study on the Chinese sampled firm. The combination of organizational forms and contingency configurations presented a higher power to explain business expansion. It implied that “the good fit” of contingency factors influenced firm dynamics only in a moderate way, whereas “the badness of fit” in configuration could engender either the highest or lowest firm growth, subject to their organizational structures.

The purpose of this thesis is to reach a deeper understanding of how boundary spanners are bridging boundaries between uniformed bureaucratic organisations and their environment, characterised by demanding conditions. The main part of this thesis is based upon empirical data gathered through 71 interviews with Swedish civil and military informants from several uniformed organisations. Four articles have been included in this thesis in order to address the overarching aim. The results show that boundary spanners are crucial to the adaption of uniformed organisations to demanding conditions. A number of aspects that are included in the process of organisational adaption have been identified. One of the tasks is to balance between structuring and improvisation where much is at stake. The other task is to create confidence among the involved actors and contribute in different ways to create a sense of symmetry between partners. Finally, the third task for boundary spanners is to recognise improvised roles such as spontaneous links in order to maintain stressful conditions and bridge a gap in the bureaucratic organisation.  The present thesis contributes to sociological theory of emotions, disaster management and military studies through a common denominator, namely the demanding context. Taken together, the findings increase awareness of how organisations act towards their environments and how individuals, especially boundary spanners, adapt the organisation to its environment. For leaders and managers, it is important to make decisions, provide mandates and authorisation, as well as invest confidence in boundary spanners. The hierarchical chain may remain in existence, but it can be made shorter and more transparent through this kind of knowledge. / BAKSIDESTEXT: Organisational adaption to the environment is a complex area of research, necessitating enquiry into how such adaption may take place. The purpose of this thesis is to reach a deeper understanding of how boundary spanners are bridging boundaries between uniformed bureaucratic organisations and their environment, characterised by demanding conditions such as disasters and war. The main body of the thesis is based upon interviews with Swedish civil and military informants. The results show that boundary spanners are crucial to the adaption of uniformed organisations to demanding conditions. Their tasks involve balancing between structuring and improvisation, creating confidence among the involved actors and recognising improvised roles such as spontaneous links in order to maintain stressful conditions and bridge a gap in the bureaucratic organisation.  Taken together, the findings increase awareness of how organisations act towards their environments and how individuals, especially boundary spanners, adapt the organisation to its environment. For leaders and managers, it is important to make decisions, provide mandates and authorisation, as well as invest confidence in boundary spanners. The hierarchical chain may remain in existence, but it can be made shorter and more transparent through this kind of knowledge. The present thesis contributes to sociological theory of emotions, disaster management and military studies through a common denominator, namely the demanding context.

Det finns i management control-litteraturen en efterfrågan på studier som tar ett helhetsperspektiv på styrsystem (Management Control Systems, MCS) och som förklarar hur dessa system bidrar till effektivitet hos organisationer. Utifrån ett contingency-synsätt undersöker vi i denna studie hur kulturell styrning och prestationsmätning som delar av MCS, tillsammans med den kontextuella variabeln osäkerhet i omgivningen, påverkar hur effektiva organisationer är. Vi antar en systemansats och önskar studera relationen mellan fler variabler, och därför tillämpas en klusteranalys där datamaterialet delas in i grupper med liknande karaktäristika. Då det är tveksamt om det finns en skillnad i effektivitet mellan de kluster vi identifierar, och för att få en bättre förståelse för vårt resultat, väljer vi att analysera detta utifrån två olika perspektiv. Utifrån det ena perspektivet antas organisationernas effektivitet skilja sig från varandra. Sett från detta perspektiv verkar en hög grad av prestationsmätning tillsammans med en hög grad av kulturell styrning vara effektivt under hög grad av osäkerhet i omgivningen. Utgångspunkten i det andra perspektivet är däremot att alla de företag som existerar och kan studeras är effektiva, och utifrån denna analys verkar det tvärtemot den tidigare analysens resultat som att en lägre grad av prestationsmätning tillsammans med en lika stor grad av kulturell styrning är mer effektivt i osäkra omgivningar, även om detta samband är något oklart. Under låg grad av osäkerhet i omgivningen visar analyser ur båda perspektiven att en hög grad av kulturell styrning tillsammans med en låg grad av prestationsmätning är en effektiv kombination. Dessutom visar det sig utifrån det sistnämnda perspektivet att även hög grad av båda styrmekanismerna är effektivt i mindre osäkra omgivningar. / Within the management control literature, studies have been requested that take a holistic view of Management Control Systems (MCS) and that explain how these systems contribute to organizational effectiveness. In this study, from a contingency perspective, we examine how cultural control and performance measurement as parts of the MCS, together with the contextual variable environmental uncertainty, affect the effectiveness of organizations. Adopting a systems approach we wish to study the relationship between several variables and therefore use a cluster analysis to divide the data into groups with similar characteristics. Since it is not clear whether there are any differences in effectiveness between the identified clusters and to get a better understanding of our findings, we choose to analyze the results from two different perspectives. Adopting one of the perspectives, the organizations are assumed to be unequally effective. From this perspective a high degree of performance measurement combined with a high degree of cultural control seem to be effective under high degrees of environmental uncertainty. From the other perspective it is implicitly understood that all of the observed organizations are effective since they exist. Seen from this, second, perspective it seems that a lower degree of performance measurement together with an equal degree of cultural control is more effective in uncertain environments, even though this relationship is somewhat vague. Under a low degree of environmental uncertainty, analyses from both perspectives show that a high degree of performance measurement together with a low degree of cultural control in an effective combination. Furthermore, the analysis from the second perspective indicates that also a high degree of both of the control variables is effective in high degrees of environmental uncertainty.

Abstract The goal of this research is to advance the state of the art in bulk power system reliability assessment. Bulk power system reliability assessment is an important procedure at both power system planning and operating stages to assure reliable and acceptable electricity service to customers. With the increase in the complexity of modern power systems and advances in the power industry toward restructuring, the system models and algorithms of traditional reliability assessment techniques are becoming obsolete as they suffer from nonrealistic system models and slow convergence (even non-convergence) when multi-level contingencies are considered and the system is overstressed. To allow more rigor in system modeling and higher computational efficiency in reliability evaluation procedures, this research proposes an analytically-based security-constrained adequacy evaluation (SCAE) methodology that performs bulk power system reliability assessment. The SCAE methodology adopts a single-phase quadratized power flow (SPQPF) model as a basis and encompasses three main steps: (1) critical contingency selection, (2) effects analysis, and (3) reliability index computations. In the critical contingency selection, an improved contingency selection method is developed using a wind-chime contingency enumeration scheme and a performance index approach based on the system state linearization technique, which can rank critical contingencies with high accuracy and efficiency. In the effects analysis for selected critical contingencies, a non-divergent optimal quadratized power flow (NDOQPF) algorithm is developed to (1) incorporate major system operating practices, security constraints, and remedial actions in a constrained optimization problem and (2) guarantee convergence and provide a solution under all conditions. This algorithm is also capable of efficiently solving the ISO/RTO operational mode in deregulated power systems. Based on the results of the effects analysis, reliability indices that provide a quantitative indication of the system reliability level are computed. In addition, this research extends the proposed SCAE framework to include the effects of protection system hidden failures on bulk power system reliability. The overall SCAE methodology is implemented and applied to IEEE reliability test systems, and evaluation results demonstrate the expected features of proposed advanced techniques. Finally, the contributions of this research are summarized and recommendations for future research are proposed.

This study seeks to examine the precise way it may be said that God takes risks in creating and governing this world. In order to articulate this model of providence various texts of scripture are studied which have either been overlooked or interpreted differently in discussions of divine providence. These texts reveal a deity who enters into genuine give-and-take relations with creatures, a God who is genuinely responsive and who may be said to take risks in that God does not get everything he desires in these relationships. Furthermore, the traditional texts used to defend the no-risk view of providence are examined and shown that they do not, in fact, teach the idea that God is the cause of everything which happens in the world such that the divine will is never thwarted in the leas detail. The biblical teaching of God in reciprocal relations with his creatures is then discussed in theological and philosophical terms. The nature of God is here understood as loving, wise, faithful yet free, almighty, competent and resourceful. These ideas are explicated in light of the more traditional theological/philosophical understanding of God. Finally, some of the implications of this relational model of God are examined to see the ways in which it may be said that God takes risks and whose will may be thwarted. The crucial watershed in this regard is whether or not there is any conditionality in the godhead. The no-risk view denies, while the risk model affirms, that some aspects of God's will, knowledge, and actions are contingent. In order to grasp the differences between the two models the doctrines and practices involved in salvation, the problem of evil, prayer and guidance are examined to see what each model says about them. It is claimed that· .the relational or risk model is superior to the no-risk model both in terms of theoretical coherence and the practice of the Christian life. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / Th. D. (Sytematic Theology)