Systematic manipulations of the order in which questions are presented in hypothetical discounting tasks have shown that individual responses vary as a result of these manipulations. For example, Robles and Vargas (2007, 2008) and Robles, Vargas, and Bejarano (2009) demonstrated that individual discounting rates systematically change if questions are presented in a random, ascending, or descending order. The purpose of this study was to examine if specific sequential manipulations affected individual k values when using the Kirby, Petry, and Bickel (1999) 27-item Monetary Choice Questionnaire (MCQ). In a single session, participants (undergraduate students, N = 80), answered two MCQs. One of the MCQs was the standard Kirby et al. (1999) MCQ and the other was the MCQ with the question sequence altered systematically. Within-subject results suggest that individual k values are consistent when comparing k values from the two MCQs completed by each individual. In most cases, individual k values between MCQs did not vary substantially. Additionally, there was a statistically significant correlation between both MCQ administrations for each group. Results from this study indicate that k values obtained using the MCQ are reliable when question sequence is altered.

The work deals with multidimensional decision-making in the outsourcing of accounting work; it is designed for accounting companies with more than 30 employees. These companies deal with hundreds of accounting tasks of various extent and nature which would be assigned to individual accountants. Theoretically speaking, the problem of assigning tasks to individual accountants can be resolved by well-known methods of operational research; however, certain qualities of accountants are very vague and are hard to quantify. These qualities include creativity, loyalty, credibility towards clients, etc. The qualities make the application of traditional algorithms (e.g. scheduling algorithms) very difficult. Moreover, certain accounting tasks are unique and can be assigned only by experienced managers, not algorithms. This work focuses on a fuzzy description of tasks and accountants and a two-level assignment process. In preliminary sorting, individual tasks to be assigned are classified as routine, which can be assigned through a fuzzy algorithm, or non-routine, which are assigned to individual employees through the manager . fuzzy expert system dialogue.

The project is dedicated to the identification of the problems found while building RT operating systems for use in embedded devices. The project's main topic is the possibility of using RT system in the FITkit platform and it also discusses individual problems and their possible solutions. One of the problems is the way of acquiring the timing information for tasks to ensure their RT properties. We have extended existing simulator for given microcontroller that is also part of the FITkit. The simulator can be used for detailed monitoring of the execution of individual tasks in the system based on dynamic analysis, collecting timing statistics for given blocks of the program or it can be extended by new modules. The RM scheduling mechanism has been integrated into the FreeRTOS system as an example by considering the knowledge of the concrete operating system and acquired timing information.

In this confirmatory factor analysis, factors previously identified to explain the variability in Middle School Mathematics Teachers’ perception of the Common Core State Standards of Mathematics were considered as factors hypothesized to effect high school math teachers’ perceptions of challenging math tasks (CMTs). The factor of student characterization (i.e., disposition, academic preparation, and student behavior) was additionally considered as a factor hypothesized to explain teachers’ perceptions of CMTs, as well as site-based variables (i.e., curriculum, assessment and evaluation, professional development, and collaboration). In addition, teachers’ understanding of the importance of the mathematical practice standards and teacher familiarity with enacting CMTs were factors considered in the model. The original septenary factor structure was modified and good model fit was achieved. In addition to the confirmatory factor analysis model which provides a structure for considering teachers perceptions of CMTs, descriptive statistics are presented from the survey developed that captured teachers’ perceptions of CMTs relative to their sites.

Syfte: Studien syftar till att kartlägga uppgiftsväxling från undersköterskor inom äldreomsorgen till andra yrkesgrupper eller digitala och tekniska hjälpmedel.  Avsikten är att personal med kompetensförsörjningsansvar inom kommuner ska kunna ha användning av kartläggningen i sitt arbete. Metod: Studien har en deduktiv ansats och en kvalitativ forskningsstrategi. En fallstudie genomfördes med sex respondenter från ett äldreboende i Kalmar kommun med semistrukturerade intervjuer.  Slutsats: Resultatet visar att uppgiftsväxling sker på boendet mellan undersköterskor och lokalvårdare som sköter städning, samt biträden som sköter köks- och måltidshantering. Uppgiftsväxlingen sker även från undersköterskorna till digitala och tekniska hjälpmedel i viss mån. Uppgiftsväxlingen som sker på boendet kan utökas genom att arbetsuppgifter rörande administration omfördelas samt mer uppgiftsväxling till biträden gällande köks- och måltidshantering. Även digitala och tekniska lösningar kan utvecklas för att arbetsuppgifter ska förenklas eller omfördelas. Resultaten visar även att det finns faktorer som kan påverka i vilken grad uppgiftsväxling kan ske och vara framgångsrikt. Detta kan handla om personalens attityder, samarbete mellan yrkesgrupper, omsorgstagarens säkerhet, tydliga rollfördelningar och ekonomiska förutsättningar. Uppgiftsväxling på boendet har frigjort arbetstid för undersköterskor, vilket tyder på att fortsatt utveckling av uppgiftsväxling kommer leda till att kompetens kan användas effektivare än vad det gör idag.

Introduction: External support behaviours, which include leaning (supporting with the non-task hand) or bracing (supporting with the body), are frequently employed by workers in manufacturing settings. However, current ergonomic assessment tools are limited by our limited understanding of these behaviours. Recent studies have investigated these behaviours, however, the designs of these studies are limited in their applicability to real-world scenarios. The purpose of this study was to assess how different task parameters affect the prediction of external support behaviours, as well as the effect of support on task hand, and body, kinematics and kinetics, in a minimally constrained experimental design. Methods: Female participants (n = 18) performed a series of one-handed maximal exertions (in the six orthogonal directions), and one precision task, in four hand Locations. Trials either featured support (as chosen by the participant), or no support. Results & Discussion: Three logistic regression models were developed, with inputs from individual and task characteristics, and they correctly predicted the occurrence of leaning, bracing, or simultaneous leaning and bracing, 74-86% of the time. Leaning and/or bracing were found to provide: 1) oppositional forces to increase task hand force generation, 2) balance, by countering destabilizing moments about the feet, and 3) a reduction in moment arm of the task hand force, with respect to the upper body joints, by bringing the shoulder closer to the task hand. Participants were able to exert 64.8% more force at the task hand as a result of support. Leaning hand placement depended on the task force direction and location. However, the positioning of the leaning hand varied very little. Finally, the precision condition showed that fine motor demands may also affect external support choice. / Thesis / Master of Science in Kinesiology

This Master Thesis, inspired by the relevance that home-offices have assumed as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, originated from the architectural, quantitative, and qualitative analysis of lighting within the author’s student accommodation on KTH Main Campus, in Stockholm (Sweden). As a matter of fact, this background study proved that recommended lighting levels (Illuminance, Contrast Ratio, CCT, CRI, M-EDI, and DER values) were not met, making the space unsuitable and unhealthy to both live and work in. Moreover, evaluating individual lighting preferences, it was demonstrated that flexibility, customizability, and adaptability to daylighting and tasks are fundamental requirements for working from home.Considering the temporary nature of students’ leases, the idea of developing an inexpensive and easily assemblable kit of smart products, aimed at improving lighting in dormitories, came quite naturally.To study the implementation of visual comfort and focus on tasks, literature review, market analysis, quantitative measurements, and hands-on experiments were carried on.Thus, with the gained knowledge and experience, the Home-Office Lighting Kit, an array of commercially available sockets, shades, and smart sources, supporting circadian rhythm and individual preferences, was proposed. Along with it, instructions on set-up and scenarios were provided.Although the overall conclusion was that the market needs products with a better balance between price, sturdiness, and reliability, the lighting conditions within the case study space were substantially improved, making other students interested in doing the same.Eventually, interesting cues for the sector’s development were proposed.

<div> <p><br></p> </div> Individuals with disabilities and persons operating in inaccessible environments can greatly benefit from the aid of robotic manipulators in performing activities of daily living (ADLs) and other remote tasks. Users relying on robotic manipulators to interact with their environment are restricted by the lack of sensory information available through traditional operator interfaces. These interfaces only allow visual task access and deprive users of somatosensory feedback that would be available through direct contact. Multimodal sensory feedback can bridge these perceptual gaps effectively. Given a set of object properties (e.g. temperature, weight) to be conveyed and sensory modalities (e.g. visual, haptic) available, it is necessary to determine which modality should be assigned to each property for an effective interface design. However, the effectiveness of assigning properties to modalities has varied with application and context. The goal of this study was to develop an effective multisensory interface for robot-assisted pouring tasks, which delivers nuanced sensory feedback while permitting high visual demand necessary for precise teleoperation. To that end, an optimization approach is employed to generate a combination of feedback properties to modality assignments that maximizes effective feedback perception and minimizes cognitive load. A set of screening experiments tested twelve possible individual assignments to form the combination. Resulting perceptual accuracy, load, and user preference measures were input into a cost function. Formulating and solving as a linear assignment problem, a minimum cost combination was generated. Results from experiments evaluating efficacy in practical use cases for pouring tasks indicate that the solution is significantly more effective than no feedback and has considerable advantage over an arbitrary design. <br>

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Ett antal studier har visat att beröm kan ha positiva motivationseffekter på anställda med icke-komplexa arbetsuppgifter. Forskningen kring hur beröm påverkar anställda med komplexa arbetsuppgifter är dock fortfarande i ett inledande stadium men indikationer finns att de påverkas annorlunda. Syftet med studien är att addera kunskap till tidigare forskning genom att kartlägga hur beröm ges och hur det påverkar den autonoma samt kontrollerade motivationen hos anställda med komplexa arbetsuppgifter. För att besvara syftet har 15 semistrukturerade intervjuer av sjuksköterskor utförts. Ur studien framgår det att anställda med komplexa arbetsuppgifter får beröm med varierande frekvens, i olika sammanhang och på olika grunder, men vissa gemensamma tendenser går att urskilja. Studien visar även att beröm kan ha en direkt påverkan på den autonoma motivationen genom att kortsiktigt göra arbetet roligare men även indirekt genom att tillgodose de psykologiska behoven kompetens, tillhörighet och autonomi. Samtidigt riskerar beröm att påverka den kontrollerade motivationen på bekostnad av den autonoma om det ges så att det uppfattas som kontrollerande av den anställde. Studien bidrar således till befintlig forskning då den styrker redan observerade tendenser gällande hur beröm kan påverka de olika formerna av motivation och visar på beröms potential att således fungera som ett lovande ledningsverktyg. Studien bidrar dock även till en viss skepsis kring detta då den även påvisar att beröm riskerar att skada den autonoma motivationen vilket är något som tidigare har tillägnats lite uppmärksamhet. Beröm i denna studie avgränsas på det sätt att endast beröm som sker i en hierarkisk relation, alltså från chef till anställd, behandlas. Beröm mellan kollegor eller andra konstellationer ingår därav inte. / A number of studies have shown that praise can have positive motivational effects on employees with non-complex tasks. However, research on how praise affects employees with complex tasks is still in an initial stage, but there are indications that they are affected differently. The purpose of the study is to add knowledge to previous research by mapping how praise is given and how it affects the autonomous and controlled motivation of employees with complex tasks. To answer the purpose, 15 semi-structured interviews of nurses were conducted. The study shows that employees with complex tasks are praised with varying frequency, in different contexts and on different grounds, but certain common tendencies can be distinguished. The study also shows that praise can have a direct impact on the autonomous motivation by making the work more fun in the short term, but also indirectly by satisfying the psychological needs of competence, relatedness and autonomy. At the same time, praise risks affecting the controlled motivation at the expense of the autonomous if it is given so that it is perceived as controlling by the employee. The study thus contributes to existing research as it confirms already observed tendencies regarding how praise can affect the various forms of motivation and shows the potential of praise to thus function as a promising management tool. However, the study also contributes to a certain skepticism about this as it also shows that praise risks damaging the autonomous motivation, which is something that has previously been given little attention. Praise in this study is delimited in the way that only praise that takes place in a hierarchical relationship, meaning from manager to employee, is treated. Praise between colleagues or other constellations is not included.