A structured and disciplined Systems Engineering process is essential for the effective and efficient design and development of products and systems which are both responsive to customer needs and competitive in the global economy. The emphasis of this research is on the conceptual design phase of the Systems Engineering process. Conceptual system design is characterized by imprecision and vagueness. Designers make significant commitments to system-level design requirements and the system design concept in the face of this vagueness. Accordingly, the primary goal of this research is to develop an aid to facilitate the definition of system-level design requirements. During conceptual design, needs analysis and requirements definition is facilitated by the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method. Quality Function Deployment is a design methodology chosen as the central focus of this research effort. Consistency within the QFD procedure must be maintained in order to accurately translate customer specified requirements into design requirements. This research, leading to the development of an expert system based advisor for system designers, is unique. A rule-based expert system was implemented to parse a completed QFD matrix and to identify occurrences of inconsistencies and strategic opportunities. / Master of Science

In this research, I set out to elucidate the relationships that might exist between students' conceptual understanding upon which they draw in their proof activity. I explore these relationships using data from individual interviews with three students from a junior-level Modern Algebra course. Each phase of analysis was iterative, consisting of iterative coding drawing on grounded theory methodology (Charmaz, 2000, 2006; Glaser and Strauss, 1967). In the first phase, I analyzed the participants' interview responses to model their conceptual understanding by drawing on the form/function framework (Saxe, et al., 1998). I then analyzed the participants proof activity using Aberdein's (2006a, 2006b) extension of Toulmin's (1969) model of argumentation. Finally, I analyzed across participants' proofs to analyze emerging patterns of relationships between the models of participants' understanding of identity and inverse and the participants' proof activity. These analyses contributed to the development of three emerging constructs: form shifts in service of sense-making, re-claiming, and lemma generation. These three constructs provide insight into how conceptual understanding relates to proof activity. / Ph. D.

Learning of threshold concepts in engineering science courses such as statics has traditionally been a difficult and critical juncture for engineering students. Research and other systematic efforts to improve the teaching of statics in recent years range widely, from development of courseware and assessment tools to experiential and other "hands-on" learning techniques. This dissertation reports the findings from a multi-year, dual-institution study investigating possible links between short writing assignments and conceptual knowledge development in statics courses. The theoretical framework of the study draws on elements from cognitive learning theory: expertise, procedural and conceptual knowledge development, and conceptual change. The way that students approach learning in statics with regard to procedural and conceptual knowledge is explored qualitatively, and the relationship between the writing assignments and conceptual knowledge development is examined using a mixed-methods approach. The results show that students approach learning in statics with varying emphasis placed on procedural and conceptual knowledge development and that a student's learning approach influences their perception of the written problems and the ways that they utilize them in learning. Thus, they provide evidence that the learning approach of students may be an important factor in the success of interventions designed to improve conceptual knowledge in statics. Increases in conceptual knowledge as a result of completing the written problems are also empirically supported though limited by problems with data collection. Areas for future work in light of these findings are identified. / Ph. D.

Focusing on Darwinism, David Hull argues that the protean character of conceptual systems is explained by their nature as historical entities which evolve. If they evolve as biological species do, Hull argues, then they cannot have an "essence" — a set of tenets that all and only instances of the conceptual system has throughout all time. There are no tenets a scientific research program must retain to count as an instance of a particular program. I advance two considerations against this view. First, research programs require a critical cohesiveness among their tenets to inspire and guide research. Second, it is the function of such programs to guide the search for answers to families of questions in a particular domain in a particular spirit. These factors dictate that conceptual systems must retain certain key tenets. This re-emergence of a sort of essentialism does not bar the evolution of conceptual systems, provided we recognize that there are patterns of evolution other than the one Hull considers (anagenesis). It also implies that conceptual systems simply evolve differently than species do. I defend this position by illustrating two episodes of conceptual evolution: the dispute between William Bateson and the British biometricians over discontinuous evolution, and the formation of Neo-Lamarckism in 19th century America. / Master of Arts

No / The purpose of this paper is to provide a conceptual framework that helps to investigate how the internal audit function (IAF) responds to both the introduction of the control logic of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, and corporate governance’s (CG) institutional pressures. Furthermore, the paper aims to articulate the concurrence between the external pressures of CG and internal control logic of ERP systems. The paper presents a review of the normative literature pertaining to the increase in significance of CG in the light of the worldwide economic crisis. The paper highlights a literature gap related to the lack of studies focusing on the impact of ERP systems implementation on the IAF practices. The authors articulate institutional theory to formulate a conceptual framework that explains the reciprocal interplay between the macro external governance pressures, micro internal institutional logics inscribed in the ERP systems and their effect on IAF practices and structure within organisations. The paper is conceptual in nature and therefore the proposed framework will be subsequently validated using a qualitative research approach in future research. The conceptual framework would offer the internal auditors some strategies for enabling adaptation to the different internal and external pressures. Also the paper provides a platform for research community to investigate the influence of CG and ERP systems implementation on IAF adaptation. The paper provides a clearer articulation of the various constructs that affect the IAF, which has gained great attention for assuring good CG.

Yes / The aim of this paper is to examine and clarify the nomological network of change and innovation (CI)-related constructs. A literature review in this field revealed a number of interrelated constructs that have emerged over the last decades. We examine several such constructs—innovation, creativity, proactive behaviours, job crafting, voice, taking charge, personal initiative, submitting suggestions, and extra-role behaviours. Our conceptual analysis suggests each one of these constructs represents a specific component of CI-related behaviours. However, we also found that on occasion these concepts have been dysfunctionally operationalized with evidence of three dysfunctional effects: (a) construct confusion, (b) construct drift, and (c) construct contamination. Challenges for future research to enhance conceptual and operational clarity are discussed. / The British Academy: [Grant number SG110409] awarded to the first author and by UK Leverhulme Trust: [Grant number IN-2012-095] awarded to the second author.

The evaluation of how Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) package may be incorporated into a conceptual design method is performed. The repeatability of the CFD solution as well as the accuracy of the calculated aerodynamic coefficients and pressure distributions was also evaluated on two different wing-body models. The overall run times of three different mesh densities was also evaluated to investigate if the mesh density could be reduced enough so that the computational stage of the CFD cycle may become affordable to use in the conceptual design stage. A farfield method was derived and used in this analysis to calculate the lift and drag coefficients. The CFD solutions were also compared with two methods currently used in conceptual design - the vortex lattice based program Vorview and ACSYNT. The unstructured Euler based CFD package FELISA was used in this study. / Master of Science

Yes

This paper presents the Temporal Abstract Behavior Representation Model (TABRM). Current techniques for representing behaviors suffer from a lack of abstract representation capability and do not possess the robustness to be used in diverse environments. Without abstraction, the representation of behaviors becomes computationally complex due to the wealth of detail required to enumerate all attributes associated with the environment and the potential courses of action. As a result existing behavior representations tend to be restricted to a limited number of environments or behaviors. TABRM addresses these limitations by using abstraction to define a small number of abstract behaviors and environments. Through the use of abstracted behaviors and environments, TABRM is able to operate using a small decision tree to determine the most appropriate behavior for a given environment. TABRM translates detailed environments into an abstract representation, determines an appropriate abstract behavior, and translates the results back to the detailed environment to produce suitable actions. Decision making within the abstract realm allows an appropriate behavior to be selected regardless of the actual detailed environment. This provides robustness in the model, which is demonstrated within this paper through the application of the model to a range of behavioral domains.

[EN] This thesis dissertation reflects on the complex effects of the re-signification of the film image in contemporary art, and its impact the aesthetic consideration of the resulting product. In this reflection, the relevance of conceptual art in the artistic re-signification is defended, as well as the process played by the concept of appropriation in contemporary art. Based on the consideration of "ready-made" of Marcel Duchamp as inexcusable point of emergence of the "appropriationism", in this thesis are reviewed and studied the different forms of appropriation of film images in contemporary art. Structurally, the thesis, which was entitled "The Film Image in Contemporary Art", assumes a theoretical and practical condition. In the early chapters, are exposed the conceptual and historical foundations that will backbone the artistic proposal that will be detailed in the second part of this research. Furthermore, the research was developed according to a deductive methodology, since initially is started from general aspects and theoretic/practical positions to reach particular inferences. Specifically, first the concept of "appropriationism" is defined within the visual art; then, the research particularizes in the analysis of different forms of appropriation in the aesthetic sphere and, more precisely, in the use of the film image within the context of contemporary visual arts. Finally, in this thesis an artistic proposal is presented from the theoretical postulates investigated. This artistic proposal is formed by eight series of works, using different formats and techniques, which are made during a period of seven years. / [ES] La tesis doctoral de Eduardo Ceballos, reflexiona sobre los complejos efectos de re-significación de la imagen fílmica en el arte contemporáneo, y su incidencia en la consideración estética del producto resultante. En esta reflexión, se defiende la relevancia que tiene el arte conceptual en la re-significación artística, así como el proceso que ha desempeñado el concepto de apropiación en el arte contemporáneo. Partiendo de la consideración del ready made de Marcel Duchamp como punto inexcusable del surgimiento del apropiacionismo, se revisan y estudian de forma concreta las diferentes formas de apropiación de imágenes fílmicas en el arte contemporáneo. Estructuralmente, "La Imagen Fílmica en el Arte Contemporáneo", asume una doble condición teórico-práctica. En los primeros capítulos del mismo, se asientan los fundamentos conceptuales e históricos que vertebrarán una propuesta artística que será detallada en la segunda parte de esta investigación. Asimismo, la investigación que se ha llevado a cabo se decanta por una metodología de corte deductiva, ya que se parte de los aspectos y posiciones teórico-prácticos generales para llegar a lo particular. Es decir, se comienza por definir el concepto de apropiacionismo dentro de las artes visuales para, después, particularizar la investigación en el análisis de las diferentes formas de apropiación en la esfera estética y, de manera más concreta, en la utilización de la imagen fílmica dentro del contexto de las artes visuales contemporáneas. Para terminar con una propuesta artística a partir de los postulados teóricos investigados y que consistió en la realización de ocho series de obras en diferentes formatos y técnicas, hecha en un período de 7 años. / [CA] La Tesi Doctoral d'Eduardo Ceballos, reflexiona sobre els complexos efectes de re-significació de la imatge fílmica en l'art contemporani, i la seua incidència en la consideració estètica del producte resultant. En esta reflexió, es defèn la rellevància que té l'art conceptual en la re-significació artística, així com el procés que ha exercit el concepte d'apropiació en l'art contemporani. Partint de la consideració del ready made de Marcel Duchamp com a punt inexcusable del sorgiment de l'apropiacionisme, es revisen i estudien en concret les diferents formes d'apropiació d'imatges fílmiques en l'art contemporani. Estructuralment, "La Imatge Fílmica en l'Art Contemporáni", assumix una doble condició teòrico-pràctica. En els primers capítols del mateix, s'assenten els fonaments conceptuals i històrics que vertebraran una proposta artística que serà detallada en la segona part d'esta investigació. Així mateix, la investigació que s'ha dut a fi es decanta per una metodologia d'estil deductiva, ja que es parteix dels aspectes i posicions teòrics-pràctics generals per a arribar al particular. És a dir, es comença per definir el concepte d'apropiacionisme dins de les arts visuals per a, després, particularitzar la investigació en l'anàlisi de les diferents formes d'apropiació en l'esfera estètica i, de manera més concreta, en la utilització de la imatge fílmica dins del context de les arts visuals contemporànies. Per a acabar amb una proposta artística a partir dels postulats teòrics investigats i que va consistir en la realització de huit sèries d'obres en diferents formats i tècniques, feta en un període de set anys. / Ceballos Silva, E. (2016). "La Imagen Fílmica en el Arte Contemporáneo" Una Revisión Estética: Entre la Imagen Fílmica y la Imagen Materia [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/62410