Complexity management is the key to success for mobile machinery where the variety of customers and applications requires individual solutions. This paper presents the way Bosch Rexroth supports each OEM with hydraulic controls – from specification and conception towards application and production. It gives examples how platforms and processes are optimized according to the customer needs. The demand for flexible, short-term deliveries is met by an agile production with the technologies of Industry 4.0.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 20-23, 2003 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / With the discovery of Turbo Codes in 1993, interest in developing error control coding schemes that approach channel capacity has intensified. Some of this interest has been focused on lowdensity parity-check (LDPC) codes due to their high performance characteristics and reasonable decoding complexity. A great deal of literature has focused on performance of regular and irregular LDPC codes of various rates and on a variety of channels. This paper presents the simulated performance results of a serial concatenated LDPC coding system on an AWGN channel. Performance and complexity comparisons between this serial LDPC system and typical LDPC systems are made.

Despite its contemporary relevance, we still have limited empirical knowledge about the forces underlying complex internationalization processes as when multinational corporations (MNCs) seek to enter new growing markets. Based on a real-time process study comprising ninety interviews and two hundred hours of observation made between 2009 and 2012, Atlas Copco’s entry into the Chinese mid-market was investigated. The intra-organizational analysis showed that three inter-related processes were underlying Atlas’ market entry and the results suggest that multiple interrelated motors may drive many contemporary internationalization processes. The processes identified are a sequential strategy process, an evolutionary process which shows that routines changed, and a political process. A somewhat surprising finding is that the main driver of internationalization according to received theory, the firm’s accumulated experiences, not only can drive internationalization, but may also hamper MNC managers’ possibilities to enter many of today’s new and growing markets. The findings add to our knowledge of the internationalization process in an increasingly complex international business setting, and especially highlight the need to distinguish between the sequential strategy process – more in line with received theory – and the other processes, in order to get a more full-fledged picture of what internationalization in large MNCs is all about.

I föreliggande kvalitativa studie var syftet att undersöka hur förskolepersonal upplever och resonerar i anmälningsprocesser samt vilka aspekter de anser vara främjande respektive hindrande för arbetet i dessa. Studiens empiriska material har samlats in genom fokusgruppsintervjuer och individuella intervjuer. Det övergripande resultatet visar att förskolepersonal upplever anmälningsprocesser som komplexa då de måste förhålla sig till omständigheter på såväl en mikro- som en mezzo- och makronivå. Omständigheterna utgörs bland annat av individuella roller och rollkonflikter, gruppdiskussioner och hänsynstagande till kollegor samt rådande samhällsnormer. Det är också den upplevda komplexiteten i anmälningsprocesserna som gör att förskolepersonal resonerar huruvida en anmälan ska göras eller inte. Detta resultat stämmer väl överens med tidigare forskning gjord på området men är något som inte överensstämmer med lagstiftarens intentioner. Resultatet visar vidare på att förskolepersonal anser det som främjande med stöd och rådgivning från kollegor och andra professioner för att få hjälp med arbetet i anmälningsprocesserna. / The aim of this qualitative essay is to study how pre-school staff experience and reason in mandatory reporting processes and which aspects they consider important for their work in these processes. The empirical data was collected from focus group interviews and individual interviews. The overall result indicates that pre-school staff experience mandatory reporting processes as complex since they have to relate to circumstances at both micro, mezzo and macro levels. Among some other aspects these circumstances constitutes individual roles and role conflicts, group discussions and existing social norms. It’s also the experienced complexity that make pre-school staff reason about whether to report or not. This result corresponds with previous research but unfortunately badly corresponds with the intentions of the legislator. Further on, the result show that pre-school staff finds it meaningful to get support and counseling from colleagues and other professions to gain help when working in mandatory reporting processes.

Thesis (MA (Philosophy))--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / This thesis sets out to model the notion of group identity in terms of the theory of complexity. It is an attempt to speak meaningfully about a concept that needs to have a sense of stability in order to constitute an ‘identity’, but at the same time has to be able to change in order to adapt to changing circumstances – and indeed does change. This tension between stability and change is seen as a manifestation of the philosophical endeavour of ‘thinking the difference’ which, in this context, is understood to mean that if we are committed to thinking the difference (and thereby undermining the philosophy of the same) for ethical reasons, we have to speak of group identity itself in terms that preserve difference. That entails keeping the tensions inherent to the notion intact, rather than choosing to emphasise one end of the tension, thereby reducing the other. As such, identity is understood as being relational. While modelling group identity as a complex system two important tensions are identified: that of the inside-outside divide that is a function of the boundary-formation of the system and the traditional tension between agency and structure in the formation of identity. The emphasis on difference as constitutive of identity places the argument within poststructuralism as a school of thought. More specifically, the links that have been established between complexity theory and the work of Jacques Derrida is explored to unpack the implications these links would have for group identity. This application is done within the framework of time: first the issues of the past and the memory of the group are investigated to explore whether identity as a complex system can cope with its own tensions. The work of Derrida is employed to show how the memory of a complex system can be understood as the inheritance of the system. This is an ethical understanding which entails responsibility. Understanding the past in this way, it is argued, allows the future to be thought. This is the case, it is argued, because the future must be understood as a Derridean ‘new beginning’ which entails engaging with and deconstructing the past. Finally, this notion of the future as a new beginning is unpacked. It is defined as the group’s singular opportunity to allow for ‘real’ change, change that is only possible if the system is disrupted by its outside. It is argued that the complex system as a very particular open system can accommodate the possibility of the ‘new beginning’. This understanding of the system and its outside is brought in relation to Derrida’s understanding of the economy of the system and the future as a ‘new kind of writing’. The implications of this theory for the notion of autonomy are briefly addressed. In order to test the theory, the argument is applied throughout to the example of the Afrikaner as a group identity. In conclusion, suggestions are made as to how the Afrikaner could understand itself and its memories in order for the group identity to survive meaningfully and – more importantly – ethically.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: We live in a complex world. We have questions and face problems that defy conventional reductionist approaches to finding answers and solutions. This is because we find ourselves dealing with complex systems that are dynamic, self-organizing and adaptive, while maintaining a balance between static order and chaotic change. The Earth, or Gaia, is such a system. So is the biosphere, and so is an ecosystem, an economy, a business and any living organism, including homo sapiens. By concentrating on the connections and interactions between entities, and not things in themselves, complexity research is enabling us to grasp a better understanding of the spontaneous, self-organizing dynamics of our world. Complexity studies can have an enormous impact on the conduct of economics, business and politics. This thesis describes the characteristics of complex systems, analyzes the Earth and its evolutionary story as a complex adaptive system, discusses how we can harness complexity, and how through cooperating and caring we can survive and even prosper in the world of today. A pluralistic moral 'world vision' is argued for, founded on an ethics of universal compassion for all living things, that can lead to responsible and pragmatic action. As human beings, if 'He are to uplift the poor and restore and preserve the ecology of the Earth, what will be required is a major transformation of our environmentally destructive world economy into one that can sustain progress and human flourishing. This will entail a change of mind and heart, a sense of global interdependence and universal responsibility. The challenges we face are immense. However, there are encouraging signs that worldwide people are becoming increasingly aware of what is called for. More and more people are showing their willingness to rise to the occasion. It is a time of transition. It is complex, daunting, yet exciting. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ons leef in 'n komplekse wêreld waarin ons gekonfronteer word met vrae en probleme wat nie beantwoord of opgelos kan word deur middel van die gebruiklike reduksionistiese benaderings nie. Die rede hiervoor is dat ons te make het met komplekse sisteme wat dinamies, selforganiserend en selfaanpassend is, terwyl dit tegelykertyd 'n balans handhaaf tussen statiese orde en chaotiese verandering. Die aarde, of Gaia, is so 'n sisteem. Ook die biosfeer, 'n ekosisteem, 'n ekonomie, 'n besigheid en enige lewende organisme, insluitend homo sapiens, konstitueer komplekse sisteme. Daarom kan kompleksiteitsnavorsing, wat klem lê op die verbande en interaksies tussen entiteite, eerder as op die entiteite self, dit vir ons moontlik maak om die spontane en selforganiserende dinamiek van ons wêreld beter te begryp. Kompleksiteitstudies kan dan ook 'n enorme impak hê op die manier waarop ekonomie, besigheid en politiek beoefen word. Hierdie tesis beskryf die eienskappe van komplekse sisteme, en analiseer die Aarde en haar evolusionêre verhaal as 'n komplekse, selfaanpassende sisteem. Verder bespreek dit ook hoe kompleksiteit ontgin kan word, en hoe ons deur samewerking en sorg kan oorleef en selfs floreer in die wêreld van vandag. Op grond van 'n etiek van universele medelye met alle lewende dinge word 'n pleidooi gelewer vir 'n pluralistiese morele "wêreldvisie" wat kan lei tot verantwoordelike en pragmatiese optrede. Wat egter vereis word indien ons, as mense, armoede wilophef en die ekologie van die aarde wil herstel en handhaaf, is 'n daadwerklike transformasie van ons omgewingsvernietigende wêreldekonomie in die rigting van 'n ekonomie wat vooruitgang en menslike florering kan onderhou. So 'n transformasie sal 'n verandering van denke en ingesteldheid vereis, asook 'n sin vir globale interafhanklikheid en universele verantwoordelikheid. Dit is duidelik dat die uitdagings wat ons moet trotseer kolossaal is. Daar is egter bemoedigende tekens wêreldwyd wat aandui dat mense toenemend begin bewus raak van wat vereis word. Meer en meer mense toon hul bereidwilligheid om die situasie die hoof te bied. Dit is 'n tyd van verandering. Dit is 'n komplekse en angswekkende tyd, maar uiteindelik tog ook 'n opwindende tyd.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this mini-thesis I explore Hannah Arendt’s engagement with the problem of foundation in relation to the work of Derrida and complexity theory. In Arendt the problem of foundation takes shape as the attempt to develop a thinking of foundation that does not repress political freedom. The American Revolution is an important point of reference in Arendt’s attempt to develop such a notion of authority. According to Arendt the American republic could, however, not entirely succeed in realizing this conception of authority. I draw on Derrida and complexity theory in order to show that the shortcomings Arendt points to are structural to institutions as such. Following Derrida and complexity theory, I further that the recognition of this structural limitation is an indispensable step in the attempt to think political authority as something stable, but which nevertheless keeps open the possibility of political change. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie skripsie ondersoek ek Hannah Arendt se ommegang met die probleem van begronding deur dit in verband te bring met die werk van Jacques Derrida en kompleksiteitsteorie. Die probleem van begronding neem vir Arendt vorm aan in die poging om politieke gesag op so wyse te bedink dat dit nie politieke vryheid onderdruk nie. Die Amerikaanse rewolusie vorm ’n sentrale verwysingspunt in Arendt so poging om gesag op hierdie manier te bedink. Dit slaag volgens haar egter nie heeltemal daarin om hierdie alternatiewe vorm van gesag te verwesenlik nie. Ek steun op Derrida en kompleksiteitsteorie om te wys dat die tekortkominge waarop Arendt wys in ’n sekere sin struktureel is tot enige instelling. Ek argumenteer voorts in navolging van Derrida en kompleksiteitsteorie dat ’n erkenning van hierdie strukturele beperking ’n belangrike moment is in die poging om politieke gesag te bedink as iets wat stabiel kan wees, maar terselftertyd ruimte laat vir politieke verandering.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The dehumanising of human beings which often underpins western medicine lead to this study. Moreover a predominant mechanistic and reductionist view of a human being necessitated a philosophical investigation to revisit the stance. It is argued that western medicine is based upon uncritical assumptions about humans as a result of the dualism and mechanistic views of Descartes. The philosophy of Merleau-Ponty transcended dualism by his emphasis on the bodylines of a human being situated in his life world. Complexity thinking concurs with the above-mentioned view, however, takes the argument further by focusing on the importance of continuous interactions and relations between the whole and the parts. Interdependent aspects of our being in the world constitute our humanness, such as our human relations between family members, friends, that which we experience, ponder, feel, and believe. Our unique experience of disease often goes hand in hand with a deep-seated sub-conscious longing for meaning. According to complexity theory being ill is not a static condition, but rather an imbalance as a result of various dynamic interactions between many spheres of human life. Multiple causality due to various dynamic interactions and self-organisation should replace simplistic views of mechanical cause and effect in this regard. Medical training models should not employ reductionism as if humans are machines comprising of separate body parts. An organic view of the uniqueness of each evolving human being should replace obsolete reductionist and mechanistic views of healing.The essence of being human is embedded in a tapestry of dynamic relations. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die dehumanisering van die mens in hedendaagse westerse geneeskunde het aanleiding gegee tot hierdie studie. Verder het die meganistiese, reduksionistiese mensbeeld ‘n filosofiese herbesinning genoodsaak. Daar word geargumenteer dat westerse geneeskunde gebaseer is op onkritiese aannames afkomstig van onder andere Descartes se dualistiese antropologie en die meganistiese siening van die mens. Merleau-Ponty se wysgerige antropologie het die dualisme getransendeer deur sy filosofie van die mens as liggaamlikheid gesitueerd in sy leefwêreld. Kompleksiteitsdenke stem hiermee ooreen, maar voer die argument verder in die opsig dat dit die belangrikheid van relasies en voortdurende wisselwerking tussen die geheel en dele beklemtoon. Interafhanklike aspekte van dit wat ons mens maak, ontstaan as gevolg van relasies tussen ons leefwêreld, ons familie, vriende, tussen dit waaraan ons dink, wat ons voel, ervaar en glo. Ons siekte ervaring gaan meestal gepaard met ‘n diepgewortelde voorbewustelike soeke na sin en betekenis. Die kompleksiteitsperspektief beskou siekwees nie as ‘n statiese toestand wat teenoor gesondwees staan nie, maar eerder ‘n wanbalans in dinamiese interaksies van verskeie sfere van menswees. Enkelvoudige kousaal-meganiese oorsaak en gevolg moet plek maak vir veelvuldige kousaliteit wat geleë is in talle dinamiese interaksies en selforganisering. Mediese opleidingsmodelle behoort die mens nie te objektiveer tot aparte organe, soos die van ‘n masjien nie. Die verontmensliking van die masjien gedrewe model van genesing behoort plek te maak vir ‘n meer organiese siening van die mens wat rekening hou met die unieke menslikheid van die mens. Menslikheid impliseer ‘n tapisserie van relasies.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Globalisation, rapid changes in technology, and demographic trends are all important factors that contribute to conditions that require adaptive capacity in military organisations. The context of a majority of military operations is often asymmetric with blurred boundaries, and military organisations are expected to master a wide range of operations from humanitarian disaster relief to more regular warlike situations in a joint- and multinational framework. The complexity of the challenges facing military leaders in contemporary and future operations makes it relevant to develop a meta-competency model for leadership in complex military systems, which is the main purpose of this dissertation. A Complexity Approach represents a shift from a set of conservative laws to a perception of the world as an open and highly dynamic system, and some characterise complexity as a bridge between modernism on the one hand and post-modernism on the other. Complexity and complex systems have a number of characteristics, some of them being a large number of short-ranged interactions that are dynamic, non-linear and fairly rich. Another significant feature of complexity is the emphasis on emergent patterns that are codetermined through a dynamic process between the history of the system and the interaction with its local environment. Leadership in complex systems might be described by the dynamics of emergence, not merely by incremental influence, and increasingly considered to be a collective social phenomenon. A complexity-oriented leader acts as an enabler of a rich identity interacting in richly constrained play of difference, facilitating “bounded” individual and systemic adaptive capacity. The reigning paradigm in military organisations, however, are closely linked to an autocratic and bureaucratic structure and a fundamental quest for control, equilibrium and stability, all of which are deeply embedded in Newtonian Principles of linearity, reductionism and determinism. The investigation of empirical research on Norwegian Military Officers and the Norwegian Armed Forces reveal a considerable amount of homogenous force substantiating stability and control, at the same time as complexity and uncertainty are acknowledged. This dissertation argues that the definition of competencies as “an underlying characteristic of an individual that is causally related to effective and/or superior performance in a job or situation”, is not suitable for a complexity understanding and proposes competencies to be defined as “interconnected underlying characteristics of an individual or system, which through a dynamic and non-linear process of interaction between local agents and the environment contribute to the emergence of identifiable or unidentifiable patterns of individual or systemic behaviour”. Based on a synthesis of a non-empirical literature study, empirical research and a modelbuilding study, this dissertation suggests that heterogeneity of degree, androgynousity, cognitive flexibility, ethical reasoning, cross-cultural competence, intuition, identity and courage, are necessary meta-competencies for leadership in complex military systems. It is further argued that these meta-competencies must be interpreted as interconnected and interdependent, and the metaphor of a cloud is therefore presented as a suitable image of the intricate dynamics of complexity. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Globalisering, vinnige veranderinge in tegnologie en demografiese tendense is belangrike faktore wat bydra tot toestande wat aanpassingsvermoë in militêre organisasies vereis. Die konteks waarin ’n meerderheid militêre operasies hul bevind is dikwels asimmetries met onduidelike grense, en daar word van militêre organisasies verwag om ’n wye verskeidenheid krygsverrigtinge van humanitêre rampverligting tot meer gereelde oorlogsugtige omstandighede in ’n gesamentlike en multinasionale kader te bemeester. Die kompleksiteit van die uitdagings waarvoor militêre leiers te staan kom in huidige en toekomstige krygsverrigtinge is dit gepas om ’n meta-bevoegdheidsmodel vir leierskap in komplekse militêre stelsels te ontwikkel, wat die belangrikste doel van hierdie tesis is. ’n Kompleksiteitbenadering verteenwoordig ’n verskuiwing van ’n stel konserwatiewe wette na ’n waarneming van die wêreld as ’n oop en hoogsdinamiese stelsel, en kompleksiteit word soms gekenmerk as ’n brug tussen modernisme aan die een kant en die post-modernisme aan die ander. Kompleksiteit en komplekse stelsels het ’n aantal kenmerke, waarvan sommige van hulle ’n groot aantal kortafstandinteraksies wat dinamiese, nie-lineêre en redelik ryk is. Nog ’n belangrike kenmerk van kompleksiteit is die klem op die ontluikende patrone wat vasgestel word deur middel van beide ’n dinamiese proses tussen die geskiedenis van die stelsel en die interaksie met die plaaslike omgewing. Leierskap in komplekse stelsels kan beskryf word deur die dinamika van verskyning, nie net deur inkrementele invloed nie, en al hoe meer beskou as ’n kollektiewe sosiale verskynsel. ’n Kompleksiteitgeoriënteerde leier dien as ’n instaatsteller van ’n ryk identiteit wat wisselwerking uitoefen in streng beperkte verskilspel, wat “begrensde” individuele en sistemiese aanpassingsvermoë fasiliteer. Die huidige paradigma in die militêre organisasies word egter nou gekoppel aan ’n outokratiese en burokratiese struktuur, en ’n fundamentele soektog vir beheer, ewewig en stabiliteit, waarvan almal diep in Newtoniaanse Beginsels van lineariteit, reduksionisme en determinisme vasgelê is. Die ondersoek van empiriese navorsing oor die Noorse Militêre Offisiere en die Noorse Weermag openbaar ’n aansienlike aantal homogene mag wat stabiliteit en beheer staaf, terselfdertyd as wat kompleksiteit en onsekerheid erken word. Hierdie tesis is van mening dat die definisie van vaardighede as “’n onderliggende eienskap van ’n individu wat oorsaaklik verwant is aan doeltreffende en/of superieure prestasie in ’n beroep of situasie”, nie geskik is vir ’n kompleksiteitbegrip nie en stel voor dat vaardighede gedefinieer word as “onderling verbinde onderliggende eienskappe van ’n individu of stelsel, wat deur middel van ’n dinamiese en nie-lineêre proses van interaksie tussen plaaslike agente en die omgewing bydra tot die verskyning van identifiseerbare of nie-identifiseerbare patrone van individuele of sistemiese gedrag”. Gebaseer op ’n sintese van ’n nie-empiriese literatuurstudie, empiriese navorsing en ’n bou van modelle studie, stel hierdie tesis voor dat die heterogeniteit van graad, androgienisme, kognitiewe buigsaamheid, etiese beredenering, kruis-kulturele bevoegdheid, intuïsie, identiteit en moed, nodige meta-vaardighede vir leierskap in komplekse militêre stelsels is. Dit voer verder aan dat hierdie meta-vaardighede vertolk moet word as onderling verbinde en onderling afhanklik is, en die metafoor van ’n wolk word dus voorgestel as ’n geskikte beeld van die ingewikkelde dinamika van kompleksiteit.

The purpose of this research work is to demonstrate the feasibility of creating a quick response decision platform for middle management in industry. It utilises the strengths of current, but more importantly creates a leap forward in the theory and practice of Supervisory and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems and Discrete Event Simulation and Modelling (DESM). The proposed research platform uses real-time data and creates an automatic platform for real-time and predictive system analysis, giving current and ahead of time information on the performance of the system in an efficient manner. Data acquisition as the backend connection of data integration system to the shop floor faces both hardware and software challenges for coping with large scale real-time data collection. Limited scope of SCADA systems does not make them suitable candidates for this. Cost effectiveness, complexity, and efficiency-orientation of proprietary solutions leave space for more challenge. A Flexible Data Input Layer Architecture (FDILA) is proposed to address generic data integration platform so a multitude of data sources can be connected to the data processing unit. The efficiency of the proposed integration architecture lies in decentralising and distributing services between different layers. A novel Sensitivity Analysis (SA) method called EvenTracker is proposed as an effective tool to measure the importance and priority of inputs to the system. The EvenTracker method is introduced to deal with the complexity systems in real-time. The approach takes advantage of event-based definition of data involved in process flow. The underpinning logic behind EvenTracker SA method is capturing the cause-effect relationships between triggers (input variables) and events (output variables) at a specified period of time determined by an expert. The approach does not require estimating data distribution of any kind. Neither the performance model requires execution beyond the real-time. The proposed EvenTracker sensitivity analysis method has the lowest computational complexity compared with other popular sensitivity analysis methods. For proof of concept, a three tier data integration system was designed and developed by using National Instruments’ LabVIEW programming language, Rockwell Automation’s Arena simulation and modelling software, and OPC data communication software. A laboratory-based conveyor system with 29 sensors was installed to simulate a typical shop floor production line. In addition, EvenTracker SA method has been implemented on the data extracted from 28 sensors of one manufacturing line in a real factory. The experiment has resulted 14% of the input variables to be unimportant for evaluation of model outputs. The method proved a time efficiency gain of 52% on the analysis of filtered system when unimportant input variables were not sampled anymore. The EvenTracker SA method compared to Entropy-based SA technique, as the only other method that can be used for real-time purposes, is quicker, more accurate and less computationally burdensome. Additionally, theoretic estimation of computational complexity of SA methods based on both structural complexity and energy-time analysis resulted in favour of the efficiency of the proposed EvenTracker SA method. Both laboratory and factory-based experiments demonstrated flexibility and efficiency of the proposed solution.