Change through recombination: blending and analogy

Section Three - Case Studies

Convex optimization has recently been suggested for solving the optimal energy management problem of hybrid electric vehicles. Compared to dynamic programming, this approach can significantly reduce the computational time, but the price to pay are additional model approximations and heuristics for discrete decision variables such as engine on/off control. In this paper, the globally optimal engine on/off conditions are derived analytically. It is demonstrated that the optimal engine on/off strategy is to switch the engine on if and only if the requested power exceeds a certain non-constant threshold. By iteratively computing the threshold and the power split using convex optimization, the optimal solution to the energy management problem is found. The effectiveness of the presented approach is demonstrated in two sizing case studies. The first case study deals with high energy capacity batteries, while the second case study deals with supercapacitors that have much lower energy capacity. In both cases, the proposed algorithm yields optimal results much faster than the dynamic programming algorithm.

The case study deals with a division in an electronics-manufacturing corporation. The division follows a low-cost high quality strategy and uses target costing for new product development (NPD). The case illustrates how the division makes some mistakes in translating its insights from target costing into picking the right measures in the BSC. As a result, the BSC does not demonstrate the cause-and-effect relationships sought out in NPD. Several remedies relating to strategic alignment, a stricter customer focus as well as stronger application of people-related measures are suggestions how to deal with current problems. The case study offers the opportunity to discuss how the implemented strategy can be reflected by a code of conduct. The case study has been designed for teaching purposes and does not illustrate commendable or problematic corporate practices. Keywords Target costing; Balanced Scorecard; code of conduct; instructional case study.

Assessing relationships among life-cycle environmental impacts with dimension reduction techniques

Traditionally, discrete event simulation is associated with system analysis due to its role as an operations research method. In this article, we consider a case study on the alternative use of simulation for training industrial workers in new working procedures. Essentially, training games are based on players learning from model responses to their decision-making. When stressing the role of the decision maker instead of operations—as in operations research—alternative demands on model set up and use arise. Identifying such demands and ways to deal with them helps to exploit existing simulation knowledge and tools for company training and engineering education. The case study deals with a manual assembly line for mail-inserting systems for which a simulation game for worker training was developed. Insights obtained are concerned with the inclusion of player decision-making in conceptual modelling, its implementation using a commercially available simulation tool, and the set up of valid game plots.

Chapter 10 - Field Applications

This paper contributes to the study of actualization through a case study on the development of the Chinese NP 1 + bǎ +NP 2 +VP construction. Actualization is the process following syntactic reanalysis in which new linguistic structures diffuse and extend their usage. Data are sourced from The Centre for Chinese Linguistics (CCL) Corpus. Multiple Correspondence Analysis is employed to explore the dynamic relationships among several subconstructions, and Multidimensional Scaling is adopted to visualize the continuity of their meanings. The findings indicate that: (1) the subconstructions form a continuum from expressing disposition meanings to causative meanings; (2) over time, the manipulation of NP 1 to NP 2 decreases, while the affectedness of NP 2 increases; (3) evidence of actualization is observed in the expansion of both semantic and syntactic distributional contexts. These results challenge prevalent claims regarding the high affectedness of the argument marked by bǎ and present further evidence for the ongoing debate over directionality in language change. These findings lend support to the gradualness ( Traugott & Trousdale 2010 ) and diffusion hypotheses ( De Smet 2016 ) of language change, and supplement these hypotheses by proposing that the actualization process can be influenced by the token frequency of existing patterns.

Protohistoric place names, created before written history and related to extinct languages, are analysed in this article. Our case study deals with place names of current towns (over 20,000 inhabitants) in the Spanish region of València. Linguistics is needed when dealing with the origin of an opaque protohistoric place name, but observation of landscape features is crucial when finding or choosing the most plausible origin of a place name if there is more than one theory. Protohistoric names are thus interpreted in this article from two perspectives: landscape feature observation and philology. This multimethod analysis produces more reliable results. The main results reveal that protohistoric town names in our case study derive from natural features of landscape, while historic town names refer mainly to cultural features of landscape. Place names are one of the most valuable sources available to explain the concerns of protohistoric peoples.

In this study we present some advanced experiments dealing with the evolutionary design of multi-state uniform cellular automata. The generic square calculation problem in one-dimensional automata will be treated as one of the case studies. An analysis of the evolutionary experiments will be proposed and properties of the resulting cellular automata will be discussed. It will be demonstrated that various approaches to the square calculations in cellular automata exist, some of which substantially overcome the known solution. The second case study deals with a non-trivial pattern development problem in two-dimensional automata. Some of the results will be presented which indicate that an exact behaviour can be automatically designed even for cellular automata working with more than ten cell states. A discussion for both case studies is included and potential areas of further research are highlighted.

This case study deals with the design of reverse and forward supply chain network for an automobile battery manufacturer. Most research in this field has focused on independent reverse network designs and centralised collection network design for the returned old products. The case study reported in this paper seeks to contribute by experimenting with two different configuration networks for the distribution and collection of products. This facility location problem was solved by mixed-integer linear programming modelling tools. It is demonstrated that bypassing certain stage of supply chain network in the reverse flow can reduce the cost of the network and it also reduces the amount of time spent by products in the supply chain network. This study also brought out issues like de-centralised network, manufacturer's dilemma in managerial control over the collection, disturbance to existing network, time pressure with respect to reverse flow and integral design issues.

Case study—Embodied virtual agents: An analysis on reasons for failure

Mathematical modeling — A tool for coastal water quality management

This is a fictional case study for training that encourages participants to interact and apply theory into practice. A febrile illness of unknown cause that occurred in Upper Egypt in 2002 was chosen for the events. The location of Aswan was selected to define the climate, topography, and location with the characteristics that support the events. Data obtained from applied research work in Egypt was included. The case study deals with the incidence of severe cases of fever of unknown origin accompanied by neurological and intestinal symptoms, as well as a high percentage of deaths. Most of the symptoms appear in people with direct contact with farm animals especially equines and birds, or those who were near waterways, either tourism workers or tourists. Most of the infected cases or deaths have accumulated in Aswan and some in the neighbouring governorates. This case study focusses on the steps taken during an outbreak investigation, and deals with investigative challenges as well as concepts of biosafety and biosecurity.

Chapter 21 - Case Studies

This case study deals with a division of a large telecommunications company that intends to improve its product profitability using Time-driven Activity-based Costing, and align the incentives of executives by setting feasible transfer prices and motivating targets. It can serve both as a discussion basis in class as well as an exam for students in management, operations, and accounting. The case illustrates how Time-driven Activity-based Costing may help managers to better understand differences in product profitability. The open questions at the end of the case study allow for an adjustment to the level of knowledge of the students. They also serve the purpose of raising students’ awareness of the limits of linear bonus contracts. Students will need to reflect on how a mechanical application of incentive systems can lead to dysfunctional decisions that run counter to a company’s business model.