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The peaceful use of atomic energy has given rise to a variety of nuclear accidents from the start. This concerns all forms of use, industrial and medical. For each accident, Industrial and Medical Nuclear Accidents details the contamination of the environment, flora and fauna, and quantifies the effects of ionizing radiation. The book also examines the adverse effects on the health, both physical and mental, of the human populations concerned. The monetary cost is also evaluated. The research presented in this book is based on scientifically recognized publications and on the reports of national and international organizations competent in this field (IAEA, WHO, UNSCEAR, IRSN, etc.). The book contains chapters devoted to the most recent accidents (Chernobyl and Fukushima), with a large body of institutional and academic literature.
In order to survive in their market and differentiate themselves from the competition, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which represent more than 90% of companies worldwide, need to be creative and innovative. This book presents a conceptual framework for thinking about innovation and creativity in SMEs. It takes into account their strategic relation to their environment and the economic, technological and social changes that they face. Their ability to enhance their creativity with new ideas and to legitimize them during their implementation is also taken into account
Geomatics is a field of science that has been intimately intertwined with our daily lives for almost 30 years, to the point where we often forget all the challenges it entails. Who does not have a navigation application on their phone or regularly engage with geolocated data? What is more, in the coming decades, the accumulation of geo-referenced data is expected to increase significantly. This book focuses on the notion of the imperfection of geographic data, an important topic in geomatics. It is essential to be able to define and represent the imperfections that are encountered in geographical data. Ignoring these imperfections can lead to many risks, for example in the use of maps which may be rendered inaccurate. It is, therefore, essential to know how to model and treat the different categories of imperfection. A better awareness of these imperfections will improve the analysis and the use of this type of data.
This book demonstrates that our daily relations, like our most recognized institutions, are based on a symbolic foundation put in place by rituals. Rituals are present at every level of society and are an expression of the sacredness of society, as much as they are an expression of the cultures and eras that communicate through them.
This book introduces an original fractional calculus methodology ('the infinite state approach') which is applied to the modeling of fractional order differential equations (FDEs) and systems (FDSs). Its modeling is based on the frequency distributed fractional integrator, while the resulting model corresponds to an integer order and infinite dimension state space representation. This original modeling allows the theoretical concepts of integer order systems to be generalized to fractional systems, with a particular emphasis on a convolution formulation.
The Vlasov equation is the master equation which provides a statistical description for the collective behavior of large numbers of charged particles in mutual, long-range interaction. In other words, a low collision (or "Vlasov") plasma. Plasma physics is itself a relatively young discipline, whose "birth" can be ascribed to the 1920s. The origin of the Vlasov model, however, is even more recent, dating back to the late 1940s. This "young age" is due to the rare occurrence of Vlasov plasma on Earth, despite the fact it characterizes most of the visible matter in the universe. This book - addressed to students, young researchers and to whoever wants a good understanding of Vlasov plasmas - discusses this model with a pedagogical presentation, focusing on the general properties and historical development of the applications of the Vlasov equation. The milestone developments discussed in the first two chapters serve as an introduction to more recent works (characterization of wave propagation and nonlinear properties of the electrostatic limit).
Discourse is not just a means of expressing thought; it is also an autonomous body, an act through which we aim to achieve a certain effect. Modern linguistics proposes a broader definition of discourse, as a discrete and unique enunciative process, where the speaker or author makes language concrete through speech (in the Saussurian sense), and describes the various acts (oral, illocutionary, perlocutionary) that discourse performs. This book examines discourse, an object of analysis and criticism, from a wide range of perspectives. Among the concepts explored are the contributions of rhetoric in the art of discourse, the evolution of multiple approaches and the main methods of discourse analysis conducted by a variety of researchers. The book deepens our knowledge and understanding of discourse, a concept on which any research related to information and communication can be based.
Food is a major health issue; the links between diet and health are dominant in nutrition discourse and practice. Food and Health: Actor Strategies in Information and Communication identifies the informational practices of nutrition professionals and consumers to study the structural elements of food and health. It analyzes the communication strategies of actors and the dissemination and use of information related to both food for health and health through food. The book considers nutrition from the point of view of public policies, educational organizations, preventive measures, consumers and patients.
Inside industrial furnaces and combustion chambers, energy is essentially exchanged by radiation. It is through the same mechanism that the energy emitted by the Sun spreads through different media to reach the Earth. Developing a sound understanding of the laws underlying energy exchanges by radiation is therefore essential, not only for establishing design equations for industrial equipment, but also for an optimal harvesting of solar energy and a better understanding of climate change phenomena such as the greenhouse effect. Energy Transfers by Radiation establishes the basic laws and equations which support the quantification of energy fluxes transferred between surfaces for situations similar to those usually encountered in industrial processes or in solar energy applications.
It may seem obvious that the human being has always been present in anthropology. This book, however, reveals that he has never really been a part of it. Theoretical Anthropology or How to Observe a Human Being establishes the foundations and conditions, both theoretical and methodological, which make it possible to consider the human being as a topic of observation and analysis, for himself as an entity, and not in the perspective of understanding social and cultural phenomena. In debate with both anthropologists and philosophers, this book describes and analyzes the human being as a "volume". To this end, a specific lexicon is built around the notions of volume, volumography and volumology. These notions are further illustrated and enriched by several drawings.
Digital transformation is shaping a new landscape for businesses and their customers. For marketing professionals, advancing technology (artificial intelligence, robots, chatbots, etc.) and the explosion of personal data available present great opportunities to offer customers experiences that are ever richer, more fluid and more connected. For customers, this ecosystem is synonymous with new roles. They are more autonomous and have power alongside the company: they influence, innovate, punish and more. These developments push companies to implement new customer strategies. It is in this context, marked by pitfalls and paradoxes, that the authors of this book reflect on the customer relationship, what it has become and what it will be tomorrow. The book provides practitioners, teacher-researchers and Master's students with a state of the art and a prospective vision of customer relations in a digital world. It is aimed at those who want to gain an up-to-date understanding of the field and find all the keys needed to project themselves into the future.
Sustainable Enterprise Performance details a method for evaluating an enterprise's readiness and progress toward sustainable performance through a comprehensive set of qualitative and quantitative indicators. These indicators cover enterprise strategy for meeting both the impact of the enterprise within the framework of corporate social responsibility and the expectations of stakeholders, evolving and monitoring the product and service offerings and business processes. The second half of the book focuses more closely on fundamental determinants of performance, such as digital transformation and artificial intelligence, corporate culture, ethics and compliance, branding and e-reputation and best-practice Lean management, and provides practical measures against which companies may assess the maturity of their sustainable performance.
Over the last 30 years, the pace of innovation has exploded while available resources have become increasingly scarce. Open Innovation is the solution, with client-supplier relationships being the main expedient. However, collaborating in innovation is full of obstacles, from uncertainties in innovation as a whole to difficulties with managing a business relationship. Co-innovation Dynamics, based on a deep-dive ethnographic inquiry enlightened by state-of-the-art management research, presents the daily life story of a collaborative innovation project. Also, based on two other qualitative and quantitative studies on co-innovation management, this book offers lessons and tips on how to manage the dynamics of collaborative innovation in the client-supplier relationship.
Since 1960, with the advent of musical electronics, composers and musicians have been using ever more sophisticated machines to create sonic material that presents innovation, color and new styles: electro-acoustic, electro, house, techno, etc. music. The music of Pierre Henry, Kraftwerk, Pink Floyd, Daft Punk and many others has introduced new sounds, improbable rhythms and a unique approach to composition and notation. Electronic machines have become essential: they have built and influenced the music of the most recent decades and set the trend for future productions. This book explores the theory and practice related to the different machines which constitute the universe of musical electronics, omitting synthesizers which are treated in other works. Sequencers, drum machines, samplers, groove machines and vocoders from 1960 to today are studied in their historical, physical and theoretical context. More detailed approaches to the Elektron Octatrack sequencer-sampler and the Korg Electribe 2 groove machine are also included.
The scientific expedition of H.M.S. Challenger in the 1870s marks the starting point of physical oceanography. This ship traveled the seas of the globe pursuing a dual objective: to conduct an in-depth study of animal life and to observe the physical properties of ocean waters. Volume 2 analyzes and uses for the first time the physical measurements collected by the scientists of the Challenger to show that their surveys establish the link between ocean circulation and the distribution of the ocean's temperature. From Deep Sea to Laboratory is available in three volumes for curious readers drawn to travel, history and science. Students, researchers and teachers of physics, fluid mechanics and oceanography will find material to deepen their knowledge.
Based on the most recent scientific data, and without neglecting historical publications, Fishes in Lagoons and Estuaries in the Mediterranean 3 comprehensively details Mediterranean lagoonal-marine migratory fish. It provides information regarding their systematics, ecobiology, ethology, genetics and their exploitation. This volume, third in a set of books on Mediterranean ichthyofauna, offers a synthesis of the knowledge acquired from 1890 to the present day for each of the 21 species most frequently found in Mediterranean lagoons and estuaries. These species are detailed across two volumes, 3A and 3B. The scientific data presented in this book concern their lagoon life as much as their marine life, and are therefore of particular interest for both the management of fish stocks and for the conservation of species. Designed to give rapid and comprehensive access to the body of knowledge on Mediterranean lagoonal and estuarine migratory fishes, this volume is for anyone involved in the use, management or protection of natural environments and their populations, including ecobiologists, geographers, engineers, teachers, students and researchers.
We are at a crucial time for the production and dissemination of knowledge - one in which the scientific community is questioning the nature of the digital humanities. Within this context, Learner Support in Online Learning Environments proposes, by taking into consideration the notion of assistance in a learning context, an original method of positioning digital resources for teachers, students and researchers in the humanities and social sciences. Questioning existing theoretical frameworks and prototypes, learner support in digital environments is presented as both a process and a result integrating a variety of resources. Some of these resources already exist, some may be adapted from existing objects and still others have yet to be imagined. The end goal is to facilitate both independent and group-based learning activities.
Digital technology opens up extraordinary fields for applications that will deeply change the nature of jobs and trade, the very concept of work and the expectations of user-producers. The "masters of algorithms" have disrupted production and services, and this trend will continue for as long as electric energy and the elements of Industry 4.0 are in continued development. Beyond data control, a power struggle is working its way through the links in the value chain: intermediation, control of resources and command over human and physical networks, as well as partnerships, creativity and the political system. Industry 4.0: Paradoxes and Conflicts examines the need for a serious and technological review, as well as for research and training regarding citizenship and politics. This is a new situation in terms of relationships of competence and authority, which must be the subject of scientific as well as political reflections for the whole social body, which needs to be educated about choices. Throughout the book, the author poses the following question: instead of submitting to choices, would it not be better to exercise foresight?
The scientific expedition of H.M.S. Challenger in the 1870s marks the starting point of physical oceanography. This ship traveled the seas of the globe pursuing a dual objective: to conduct an in-depth study of animal life and to observe the physical properties of ocean waters. Volume 1, richly illustrated, relates the expedition of the Challenger and addresses the problems of measuring the great depths. A theoretical approach to the immersion velocity of a probe is also proposed, as well as a presentation of some results of bathymetric surveys and physical observations made by the Challenger scientists. From Deep Sea to Laboratory is available in three volumes for curious readers drawn to travel, history and science. Students, researchers and teachers of physics, fluid mechanics and oceanography will find material to deepen their knowledge.
Although complexity makes up the very fabric of our daily lives and has been more or less addressed in a wide variety of knowledge fields, the approaches developed in the Natural Sciences and the results obtained over the past century have not yet permeated Management Sciences very much. The main features of the phenomena that the Natural Sciences deal with are: non-linear behavior, self-organization and chaos. They are analyzed with the framing of what is called "systems thinking", popularized by the mindset pertaining to cybernetics. All pioneers in systems thinking either had direct or indirect connections with Biology, which is the discipline considered complex par excellence by the public. When applying these concepts to Operations Management Systems and modeling organizations by BDI (Beliefs, Desires, Intentions) agents, the lack of predictability in the conduct of change management that is prone to bifurcations (tipping points) in terms of organizational structures and in forecasting future activities, reveals them to be ingrained in the interplay of complexity and chaos.
Teachers regularly seek to update their practice with newly-developed tools from the realm of research, with the aim of applying them directly in the classroom, particularly for teaching reading and writing. Thus, teachers' continuing education is dependent on the effective dissemination and appropriation of research results. This book explores this problem from multiple angles, presenting research projects from France and Quebec, Canada. Using a variety of methods, including creating teaching materials and engaging classroom teachers in the research process, the authors demonstrate the importance of ownership and dissemination of research results in schools. Although this necessity sometimes complicates the work of researchers, it is vital to develop and maintain the relationship between reading-writing research and its practical applications.
Today, the reliability of systems has become a major issue in most industrial applications. The theoretical approach to estimating reliability was largely developed in the 1960s for maintenance-free systems, and more recently, in the late 1990s, it was developed for maintenance-based systems. Customers' expectations concerning reliability (as well as maintenance, safety, etc.) are growing ever more demanding over the generations of systems. However, the theoretical methods used to handle the systems are not suitable when aging mechanisms are present. This book proposes a theoretical approach to estimate all of these quantities correctly. In addition to the theoretical aspect, it details a number of issues that any industrial system will meet sooner or later, whether due to design flaws, the batch of components, manufacturing problems or new technologies that result in the aging of mechanisms during their operational use.
In recent years, interest for local energy production, supply and consumption has increased in academic and public debates. In particular, contemporary energy transition discourses and strategies often emphasize the search for increased local energy autonomy, a phrase which can refer to a diverse range of configurations, both in terms of the spaces and scales of the local territory considered and in terms of what is meant by energy autonomy. This book explores policies, projects and processes aimed at increased local energy autonomy, with a particular focus on their spatial, infrastructural and political dimensions. In doing so, the authors - Sabine Barles, Bruno Barroca, Guilhem Blanchard, Benoit Boutaud, Arwen Colell, Gilles Debizet, Ariane Debourdeau, Laure Dobigny, Florian Dupont, Zélia Hampikian, Sylvy Jaglin, Allan Jones, Raphael Ménard, Alain Nadaï, Angela Pohlmann, Cyril Roger-Lacan, Eric Vidalenc - improve our understanding of the always partial and controversial processes of energy relocation that articulate forms of local metabolic self-sufficiency, socio-technical decentralization and political empowerment. Comprising fifteen chapters, the book is divided into four parts: Governance and Actors; Urban Projects and Energy Systems; Energy Communities; and The Challenges of Energy Autonomy.
Whilst research and innovation may allow for increasing efficiency in the pursuit of human ends, they also pose dangers, linked to the unpredictability of their development, which call for unprecedented responsibility. This book contends that the structure of a "process", in the sense of an efficient propensity in the possible that can be actualized by research and innovation, can be intrinsically ethical, that is, it can take into account and preserve the freedom of the actors concerned. This point is explored through a consideration of four processual ethical structures, each of which can constitute a point of reference for the exercise of a responsibility. Ethically Structured Processes questions dualities that are very firmly established in the West, such as "theoretical/practical" and "descriptive/prescriptive", through a detour into historical Chinese traditions of thought. The generality of the thesis concerning ethical processes is tested, in a privileged way, on the case of the "Invisible Hand". Is this notion based on a philosophically and ethically consistent concept of "freedom"?
Almost every month, a new optimization algorithm is proposed, often accompanied by the claim that it is superior to all those that came before it. However, this claim is generally based on the algorithm's performance on a specific set of test cases, which are not necessarily representative of the types of problems the algorithm will face in real life. This book presents the theoretical analysis and practical methods (along with source codes) necessary to estimate the difficulty of problems in a test set, as well as to build bespoke test sets consisting of problems with varied difficulties. The book formally establishes a typology of optimization problems, from which a reliable test set can be deduced. At the same time, it highlights how classic test sets are skewed in favor of different classes of problems, and how, as a result, optimizers that have performed well on test problems may perform poorly in real life scenarios.
Disorder and Public Concern Around Globalization examines the contrast between an idealized vision and a realistic view of globalization. Both are inscribed in the contemporary debate within political and economic theory. This opposition highlights the conditions under which wealth creation and equitable distribution can outweigh the mere diversion of value and deepening of inequalities. This book shows how facts and ideas can explain the shape currently taken by globalization, the latest innovation of market economies. Still, the unpredictable path followed depends on the attitudes of entrepreneurs and capital holders who arbitrate between short- and long-term timescales, between value creation and rent collection: attitudes driven by the same organizations and institutions that shape markets, structure the social order and ensure the viability of the current transition.
Africa is a laboratory for managerial and societal innovations built out of pragmatic arrangements. Some African companies offer products and services that go beyond the standard practices of their international counterparts, based on original and inventive managerial characteristics. Such success stories outline a new model of management and innovation for companies in the digital era.The African innovations that have emerged over the past ten years are directly linked to a managerial model that perfectly meets the demands of the digital era. These new organizations indicate that good managerial practices and innovation models also come from the Global South and no longer exclusively from the East Coast of the United States. Understanding these dynamics is of great theoretical and practical interest for the many companies struggling to seize the opportunities for growth in Africa.
Information in all its forms is at the heart of the economic intelligence process. It is also a powerful vector of innovation and, more than ever, a balance between economic and societal forces. That is why a large part of this volume analyses the various aspects of information, from traditional processing and research to the psychological and epigenetic aspects of its development. This leads to a new vision of its integration into organisations. In addition, new technologies offer extensive access to information, including social networks which are looked at here. In a complex world where geopolitics and the new concept of information warfare are becoming increasingly important, it becomes imperative to better apprehend and understand our environment, in order to develop critical thinking that will reinforce the different global aspects of security in economic intelligence.
This series of books collects a diverse array of work that provides the reader with theoretical and applied information on data analysis methods, models, and techniques, along with appropriate applications.Volume 1 begins with an introductory chapter by Gilbert Saporta, a leading expert in the field, who summarizes the developments in data analysis over the last 50 years. The book is then divided into three parts: Part 1 presents clustering and regression cases; Part 2 examines grouping and decomposition, GARCH and threshold models, structural equations, and SME modeling; and Part 3 presents symbolic data analysis, time series and multiple choice models, modeling in demography, and data mining.
The great deltas of the globe have been threatened for several decades but their decline now appears to be inevitable; they are receding and losing the fertility that supports their tens of millions of inhabitants. Our deltas are victims of the dramatic deterioration in the volume of continental sediment brought by rivers to the oceans.By nature, deltas are fragile eco- and geological organisms. For centuries, they have been subject to human actions in the Mediterranean and European world, and today a deep crisis is affecting the great tropical deltas. A chapter is also devoted to concerns facing the Mississippi, an "aging delta of the new world".Sedimentary Crisis at the Global Scale 2 discusses possible strategies to protect the deltas of the world - or at least adapt them and their dependencies to the changes they face. Several models are possible, including comprehensive protection (such as in the Netherlands) and cautious and respectful opening to the forces of the oceans in an environment-first perspective.
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