Peter A. Gloor
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195304121
- eISBN:
- 9780199789771
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195304121.001.0001
- Subject:
- Business and Management, Innovation
This book introduces a powerful new concept to the business world — Collaborative Innovation Networks (COINs). COINs have been around for hundreds of years, and many of us have already been a part ...
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This book introduces a powerful new concept to the business world — Collaborative Innovation Networks (COINs). COINs have been around for hundreds of years, and many of us have already been a part of a COIN without knowing it. What makes COINs so relevant today is that the concept has reached its tipping point, thanks to the communication capabilities of the Internet and the World Wide Web. A COIN is a cyberteam of self-motivated people with a collective vision, enabled by technology to collaborate in achieving a common goal — an innovation — by sharing ideas, information, and work. Working this way is key to successful innovation, and it is no exaggeration to state that COINs are the most productive engines of innovation ever. This book explores why COINs are so important to business success in the new century. It explains the traits that characterize COIN members and COIN behavior. It makes the case for why businesses ought to be rushing to uncover their COINs and nurture them, and provides tools for building organizations that are more creative, productive, and efficient by applying principles of creative collaboration, knowledge sharing, and social networking. Through real-life examples of COINs in several business sectors, the book shows how to leverage COINs to develop successful products in R&D, grow better customer relationships, establish better project management processes, and build higher-performing teams. There is even a method offered for locating, analyzing, and measuring the impact of COINs on an organization.Less
This book introduces a powerful new concept to the business world — Collaborative Innovation Networks (COINs). COINs have been around for hundreds of years, and many of us have already been a part of a COIN without knowing it. What makes COINs so relevant today is that the concept has reached its tipping point, thanks to the communication capabilities of the Internet and the World Wide Web. A COIN is a cyberteam of self-motivated people with a collective vision, enabled by technology to collaborate in achieving a common goal — an innovation — by sharing ideas, information, and work. Working this way is key to successful innovation, and it is no exaggeration to state that COINs are the most productive engines of innovation ever. This book explores why COINs are so important to business success in the new century. It explains the traits that characterize COIN members and COIN behavior. It makes the case for why businesses ought to be rushing to uncover their COINs and nurture them, and provides tools for building organizations that are more creative, productive, and efficient by applying principles of creative collaboration, knowledge sharing, and social networking. Through real-life examples of COINs in several business sectors, the book shows how to leverage COINs to develop successful products in R&D, grow better customer relationships, establish better project management processes, and build higher-performing teams. There is even a method offered for locating, analyzing, and measuring the impact of COINs on an organization.
Vaclav Smil
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195168754
- eISBN:
- 9780199783601
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195168755.003.0001
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Economic History
Technical progress in the 20th century was based on the unprecedented technical advances that took place during the two pre-WWI generations (1867-1914). All of these fundamental and lasting ...
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Technical progress in the 20th century was based on the unprecedented technical advances that took place during the two pre-WWI generations (1867-1914). All of these fundamental and lasting inventions — most notably electricity generation, internal combustion engines, new materials, and new means of communication — had undergone major technical transformations that improved their performance, reliability, durability, and ease of use while lowering their cost. In addition, the century saw its share of new inventions and innovations, ranging from plastics to solid state electronics.Less
Technical progress in the 20th century was based on the unprecedented technical advances that took place during the two pre-WWI generations (1867-1914). All of these fundamental and lasting inventions — most notably electricity generation, internal combustion engines, new materials, and new means of communication — had undergone major technical transformations that improved their performance, reliability, durability, and ease of use while lowering their cost. In addition, the century saw its share of new inventions and innovations, ranging from plastics to solid state electronics.
Vaclav Smil
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195168754
- eISBN:
- 9780199783601
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195168755.003.0002
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Economic History
Our civilization is based on massive consumption of fossil fuels. This chapter begins by examining technical advances of energy industries, before turning to energy transitions and the process of ...
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Our civilization is based on massive consumption of fossil fuels. This chapter begins by examining technical advances of energy industries, before turning to energy transitions and the process of decarbonization of global energy supply. The second section deals with electricity production in general, and with nuclear generation (as well as nuclear weapons) in particular. The last section traces the invention and deployment of the only two new prime movers introduced during the 20th century: gas turbines and rocket engines.Less
Our civilization is based on massive consumption of fossil fuels. This chapter begins by examining technical advances of energy industries, before turning to energy transitions and the process of decarbonization of global energy supply. The second section deals with electricity production in general, and with nuclear generation (as well as nuclear weapons) in particular. The last section traces the invention and deployment of the only two new prime movers introduced during the 20th century: gas turbines and rocket engines.
Mark D. LeBlanc and Betsey Dexter Dyer
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- April 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195305890
- eISBN:
- 9780199773862
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195305890.003.02
- Subject:
- Biology, Biomathematics / Statistics and Data Analysis / Complexity Studies
Clear directions for Mac OS X and Windows users alike are provided to get these respective hardware systems set up for programming in Perl. This chapter provides as much encouragement and support as ...
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Clear directions for Mac OS X and Windows users alike are provided to get these respective hardware systems set up for programming in Perl. This chapter provides as much encouragement and support as possible. Getting through the chapter with success will make the activities of the subsequent chapters possible. The instructions here are the sine qua non of the rest of the book because they tell how to get ‘Perl’ up and running. Side boxes include encouragement for forging new research relationships.Less
Clear directions for Mac OS X and Windows users alike are provided to get these respective hardware systems set up for programming in Perl. This chapter provides as much encouragement and support as possible. Getting through the chapter with success will make the activities of the subsequent chapters possible. The instructions here are the sine qua non of the rest of the book because they tell how to get ‘Perl’ up and running. Side boxes include encouragement for forging new research relationships.
Vaclav Smil
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- July 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780195168747
- eISBN:
- 9780199835522
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195168747.003.0003
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Economic History
Invention and commercialization of automotive internal combustion engines was a multistranded process that began during the 1880s in Germany with design by Benz, Daimler and Maybach, and then ...
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Invention and commercialization of automotive internal combustion engines was a multistranded process that began during the 1880s in Germany with design by Benz, Daimler and Maybach, and then received critical contributions from France, the UK, and the United States. Otto-cycle gasoline engines became the dominant prime movers in passenger cars as well as in the first airplanes, while diesel engines were initially limited to heavy-duty maritime and railroad applications. Line assembly introduced by Henry Ford provided a long-lasting solution to the mass manufacturing. The car industry eventually became the leading sector of modern economies and car culture has had a profound effect on many facets of modern life.Less
Invention and commercialization of automotive internal combustion engines was a multistranded process that began during the 1880s in Germany with design by Benz, Daimler and Maybach, and then received critical contributions from France, the UK, and the United States. Otto-cycle gasoline engines became the dominant prime movers in passenger cars as well as in the first airplanes, while diesel engines were initially limited to heavy-duty maritime and railroad applications. Line assembly introduced by Henry Ford provided a long-lasting solution to the mass manufacturing. The car industry eventually became the leading sector of modern economies and car culture has had a profound effect on many facets of modern life.
G. Anandalingam and Henry C. Lucas
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195177404
- eISBN:
- 9780199789559
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195177404.003.0006
- Subject:
- Business and Management, Strategy
Many dot.com companies, declared to be the winners in the new economy, were expected to change completely the paradigm of doing business and drive down the market shares of traditional “bricks and ...
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Many dot.com companies, declared to be the winners in the new economy, were expected to change completely the paradigm of doing business and drive down the market shares of traditional “bricks and mortar” firms in their industries. These “winners” attracted huge amounts of capital and the adulation of stock market analysts. All of the parties involved overestimated the value and likely success of dot.com business models and the impact of technology. In the space of less than two years, the winner’s curse surfaced with a vengeance: the dot.coms and their prospects had been highly overvalued by their founders, venture capitalists, and the investing public. The business models in many cases were just not realistic. This chapter examines several of the dot.coms to learn how “irrational exuberance” and excessive optimism led to the demise of firms like Webvan and Boo.com.Less
Many dot.com companies, declared to be the winners in the new economy, were expected to change completely the paradigm of doing business and drive down the market shares of traditional “bricks and mortar” firms in their industries. These “winners” attracted huge amounts of capital and the adulation of stock market analysts. All of the parties involved overestimated the value and likely success of dot.com business models and the impact of technology. In the space of less than two years, the winner’s curse surfaced with a vengeance: the dot.coms and their prospects had been highly overvalued by their founders, venture capitalists, and the investing public. The business models in many cases were just not realistic. This chapter examines several of the dot.coms to learn how “irrational exuberance” and excessive optimism led to the demise of firms like Webvan and Boo.com.
Andrea Prencipe
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199263233
- eISBN:
- 9780191718847
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199263233.003.0007
- Subject:
- Business and Management, Strategy
This chapter identifies two analytical categories of systems integration in multi-technology multi-component products, namely synchronic and diachronic. Synchronic systems integration refers to the ...
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This chapter identifies two analytical categories of systems integration in multi-technology multi-component products, namely synchronic and diachronic. Synchronic systems integration refers to the technological capabilities required to set the product concept design, decompose it, coordinate the network of suppliers, and then recompose the product within a given family. Diachronic systems integration refers to the technological capabilities to envisage and move progressively towards different and alternative paths of product architectures (i.e., new product families) to meet evolving customer requirements.Less
This chapter identifies two analytical categories of systems integration in multi-technology multi-component products, namely synchronic and diachronic. Synchronic systems integration refers to the technological capabilities required to set the product concept design, decompose it, coordinate the network of suppliers, and then recompose the product within a given family. Diachronic systems integration refers to the technological capabilities to envisage and move progressively towards different and alternative paths of product architectures (i.e., new product families) to meet evolving customer requirements.
Vaclav Smil
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- January 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780262035774
- eISBN:
- 9780262338301
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262035774.001.0001
- Subject:
- Environmental Science, Environmental Studies
Energy is the only universal currency; it is necessary for getting anything done. The conversion of energy on Earth ranges from terra-forming forces of plate tectonics to cumulative erosive effects ...
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Energy is the only universal currency; it is necessary for getting anything done. The conversion of energy on Earth ranges from terra-forming forces of plate tectonics to cumulative erosive effects of raindrops. Life on Earth depends on the photosynthetic conversion of solar energy into plant biomass. Humans have come to rely on many more energy flows—ranging from fossil fuels to photovoltaic generation of electricity—for their civilized existence. This book provides a comprehensive account of how energy has shaped society, from pre-agricultural foraging societies through today’s fossil fuel-driven civilization. Humans are the only species that can systematically harness energies outside their bodies, using the power of their intellect and an enormous variety of artifacts—from the simplest tools to internal combustion engines and nuclear reactors. The epochal transition to fossil fuels affected everything: agriculture, industry, transportation, weapons, communication, economics, urbanization, quality of life, politics, and the environment. This book describes humanity’s energy eras in panoramic and interdisciplinary fashion, offering readers a magisterial overview.Less
Energy is the only universal currency; it is necessary for getting anything done. The conversion of energy on Earth ranges from terra-forming forces of plate tectonics to cumulative erosive effects of raindrops. Life on Earth depends on the photosynthetic conversion of solar energy into plant biomass. Humans have come to rely on many more energy flows—ranging from fossil fuels to photovoltaic generation of electricity—for their civilized existence. This book provides a comprehensive account of how energy has shaped society, from pre-agricultural foraging societies through today’s fossil fuel-driven civilization. Humans are the only species that can systematically harness energies outside their bodies, using the power of their intellect and an enormous variety of artifacts—from the simplest tools to internal combustion engines and nuclear reactors. The epochal transition to fossil fuels affected everything: agriculture, industry, transportation, weapons, communication, economics, urbanization, quality of life, politics, and the environment. This book describes humanity’s energy eras in panoramic and interdisciplinary fashion, offering readers a magisterial overview.
Richard Coopey and Peter Lyth
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199226009
- eISBN:
- 9780191710315
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199226009.003.0013
- Subject:
- Business and Management, Business History
This chapter explores the development of two ‘high technology’ sectors of the British economy in the post-war period. The chapter is set against the context of the general debate over the relative ...
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This chapter explores the development of two ‘high technology’ sectors of the British economy in the post-war period. The chapter is set against the context of the general debate over the relative decline of the British economy and the specific notion that Britain lagged behind in developing modern science- and technology-based industries. The findings reinforce certain aspects highlighted by critics of Britain's technological effort, for example the stultifying role played by the state, particularly the military, in the progress of the IT and aircraft manufacturing sectors. The state did play a positive role in boosting effort and increasing budgets, but probably directed both industries onto paths where global commercial success was going to be more difficult. Generally, though the chapter highlights the specificity of each case, and each sectors' internal complexities. In jet engine development, for example, it is important to highlight the successful — Rolls-Royce is a good example here — as well as the unsuccessful. Overall, the chapter reflects the book's themes in rejecting simplistic, uni-causal accounts of decline, favouring instead a more nuanced understanding of the role of technology-based industry in Britain's economy in the later 20th century.Less
This chapter explores the development of two ‘high technology’ sectors of the British economy in the post-war period. The chapter is set against the context of the general debate over the relative decline of the British economy and the specific notion that Britain lagged behind in developing modern science- and technology-based industries. The findings reinforce certain aspects highlighted by critics of Britain's technological effort, for example the stultifying role played by the state, particularly the military, in the progress of the IT and aircraft manufacturing sectors. The state did play a positive role in boosting effort and increasing budgets, but probably directed both industries onto paths where global commercial success was going to be more difficult. Generally, though the chapter highlights the specificity of each case, and each sectors' internal complexities. In jet engine development, for example, it is important to highlight the successful — Rolls-Royce is a good example here — as well as the unsuccessful. Overall, the chapter reflects the book's themes in rejecting simplistic, uni-causal accounts of decline, favouring instead a more nuanced understanding of the role of technology-based industry in Britain's economy in the later 20th century.
Joshua S. Bloom
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691145570
- eISBN:
- 9781400837007
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691145570.003.0004
- Subject:
- Physics, Particle Physics / Astrophysics / Cosmology
Prompt and afterglow emission of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are largely driven by the central engine behavior, the explosion properties, and the physics of relativistic shocks. Those seconds, minutes, ...
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Prompt and afterglow emission of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are largely driven by the central engine behavior, the explosion properties, and the physics of relativistic shocks. Those seconds, minutes, and days after the main event tell a remarkable story about how the progenitors of GRBs end their life. But it is the context—where GRBs occur inside and out of galaxies and throughout cosmic time—that tell us how the progenitors lived. Indeed, GRB locations are treated like a crime scene, extracting forensic evidence to make a case about the lifecycle of a GRB progenitor. This chapter discusses local-, galactic-, and universal-scale observations of GRBs.Less
Prompt and afterglow emission of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are largely driven by the central engine behavior, the explosion properties, and the physics of relativistic shocks. Those seconds, minutes, and days after the main event tell a remarkable story about how the progenitors of GRBs end their life. But it is the context—where GRBs occur inside and out of galaxies and throughout cosmic time—that tell us how the progenitors lived. Indeed, GRB locations are treated like a crime scene, extracting forensic evidence to make a case about the lifecycle of a GRB progenitor. This chapter discusses local-, galactic-, and universal-scale observations of GRBs.
B. Jack Copeland
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780198565932
- eISBN:
- 9780191714016
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198565932.003.0001
- Subject:
- Mathematics, History of Mathematics
This introductory chapter discusses the development of Alan Turing's ‘universal computing machine’, better known as the universal Turing Machine. The earliest large-scale electronic digital ...
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This introductory chapter discusses the development of Alan Turing's ‘universal computing machine’, better known as the universal Turing Machine. The earliest large-scale electronic digital computers, the British Colossus (1943) and American ENIAC (1945), did not store programmes in memory. In 1936, Turing came up with an idea for a machine with limitless memory, in which both data and instructions were to be stored. By 1945, groups in Britain and the US began developing hardware for a universal Turing machine. Turing headed a group at the National Physical Laboratory in London that designed the Automatic Computing Engine (ACE), the first relatively complete specification of an electronic stored-programme digital computer.Less
This introductory chapter discusses the development of Alan Turing's ‘universal computing machine’, better known as the universal Turing Machine. The earliest large-scale electronic digital computers, the British Colossus (1943) and American ENIAC (1945), did not store programmes in memory. In 1936, Turing came up with an idea for a machine with limitless memory, in which both data and instructions were to be stored. By 1945, groups in Britain and the US began developing hardware for a universal Turing machine. Turing headed a group at the National Physical Laboratory in London that designed the Automatic Computing Engine (ACE), the first relatively complete specification of an electronic stored-programme digital computer.
B. Jack Copeland
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780198565932
- eISBN:
- 9780191714016
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198565932.003.0004
- Subject:
- Mathematics, History of Mathematics
This chapter details the history of the Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) project. The story of the ACE begins with John Womersley's appointment as superintendent of the newly created Mathematics ...
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This chapter details the history of the Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) project. The story of the ACE begins with John Womersley's appointment as superintendent of the newly created Mathematics Division of the National Physical Laboratory. Womersley's proposed research programme for his new division included the goals ‘To explore the application of switching methods (mechanical, electrical and electronic) to computations of all kinds’, ‘Investigation of the possible adaptation of automatic telephone equipment to scientific computing’, and ‘ Development of electronic counting device suitable for rapid computing’. Womersley convinced Turing to join the ACE project.Less
This chapter details the history of the Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) project. The story of the ACE begins with John Womersley's appointment as superintendent of the newly created Mathematics Division of the National Physical Laboratory. Womersley's proposed research programme for his new division included the goals ‘To explore the application of switching methods (mechanical, electrical and electronic) to computations of all kinds’, ‘Investigation of the possible adaptation of automatic telephone equipment to scientific computing’, and ‘ Development of electronic counting device suitable for rapid computing’. Womersley convinced Turing to join the ACE project.
James H. Wilkinson
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780198565932
- eISBN:
- 9780191714016
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198565932.003.0005
- Subject:
- Mathematics, History of Mathematics
This chapter discusses the pilot Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) project at the National Physical Laboratory. The Pilot ACE had been designed purely as an experimental machine to demonstrate the ...
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This chapter discusses the pilot Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) project at the National Physical Laboratory. The Pilot ACE had been designed purely as an experimental machine to demonstrate the competence of the team as computer engineers. It was originally intended that when it was successfully completed a full-scale computer would be built. However, when it was successful, it was the only electronic computer in a government department and the engineers came under very heavy pressure to use the Pilot ACE for serious computing. They implemented a small set of modifications which included the addition of an automatic multiplier and improvements to the control unit which made programming a little less arduous. The computer was then put into general use and did yeoman service for a number of years.Less
This chapter discusses the pilot Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) project at the National Physical Laboratory. The Pilot ACE had been designed purely as an experimental machine to demonstrate the competence of the team as computer engineers. It was originally intended that when it was successfully completed a full-scale computer would be built. However, when it was successful, it was the only electronic computer in a government department and the engineers came under very heavy pressure to use the Pilot ACE for serious computing. They implemented a small set of modifications which included the addition of an automatic multiplier and improvements to the control unit which made programming a little less arduous. The computer was then put into general use and did yeoman service for a number of years.
Michael R. Williams
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780198508410
- eISBN:
- 9780191708831
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198508410.003.0006
- Subject:
- Mathematics, History of Mathematics
Most people in the computing disciplines know of the famous difference engine designed by Charles Babbage, but many are unaware of several others that were produced after Babbage's efforts and even ...
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Most people in the computing disciplines know of the famous difference engine designed by Charles Babbage, but many are unaware of several others that were produced after Babbage's efforts and even one mention of the concept that predates him. Difference methods were once of fundamental importance in the construction of tables but they have fallen into disuse since the invention of the digital computer. Indeed, they were already of lesser importance during the era of the massive electro-mechanical machines developed by, among others, Bell Laboratories and Harvard University in the 1940s. Because of their relative obscurity, this chapter explains these methods and then examines the machines that used them. These include Müller's machine, Babbage machine, Scheutz machines, Wiberg machine, and Grant's difference engine.Less
Most people in the computing disciplines know of the famous difference engine designed by Charles Babbage, but many are unaware of several others that were produced after Babbage's efforts and even one mention of the concept that predates him. Difference methods were once of fundamental importance in the construction of tables but they have fallen into disuse since the invention of the digital computer. Indeed, they were already of lesser importance during the era of the massive electro-mechanical machines developed by, among others, Bell Laboratories and Harvard University in the 1940s. Because of their relative obscurity, this chapter explains these methods and then examines the machines that used them. These include Müller's machine, Babbage machine, Scheutz machines, Wiberg machine, and Grant's difference engine.
PASCAL BOYER
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780197264195
- eISBN:
- 9780191734540
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197264195.003.0011
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Psychology
The human imagination is often thought of as creativity and originality. It is often considered in terms of its high-end, creative products such as religion, arts, and literature. However, the human ...
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The human imagination is often thought of as creativity and originality. It is often considered in terms of its high-end, creative products such as religion, arts, and literature. However, the human imagination does not solely produce flights of creative fancy. It is also involved in the production of highly stable and fairly predictable representations of possible situations. This chapter discusses the humble imaginations of the human mind which are generally automatic and largely unconscious, yet are crucial to the formation of representations of what is to happen. This imagination is the construction of ‘what if’ which aids in the prediction of possible outcomes. The focus of this chapter is on specialized inference engines which are believed to be vehicles of creative imagination. Examples are provided in this chapter to illustrate the specialized ‘what if’ inferential systems of the human mind.Less
The human imagination is often thought of as creativity and originality. It is often considered in terms of its high-end, creative products such as religion, arts, and literature. However, the human imagination does not solely produce flights of creative fancy. It is also involved in the production of highly stable and fairly predictable representations of possible situations. This chapter discusses the humble imaginations of the human mind which are generally automatic and largely unconscious, yet are crucial to the formation of representations of what is to happen. This imagination is the construction of ‘what if’ which aids in the prediction of possible outcomes. The focus of this chapter is on specialized inference engines which are believed to be vehicles of creative imagination. Examples are provided in this chapter to illustrate the specialized ‘what if’ inferential systems of the human mind.
Helen Margetts
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780197263839
- eISBN:
- 9780191734915
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197263839.003.0012
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
Digital government refers to the use by government of information and communication technology, including the Internet, both internally and to interact with citizens, businesses, and other ...
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Digital government refers to the use by government of information and communication technology, including the Internet, both internally and to interact with citizens, businesses, and other governments. This chapter briefly outlines the development of digital government. It suggests three key ways in which digital government could be more transparent than government of the ‘pre-digital’ era and three ways in which it might become less transparent. The chapter goes on to identify some ways in which these ‘barriers’ to transparency might be overcome, such as the use of electronic tools like search engines and software. Finally, it discusses the strong variations in the potential for digitally aided transparency across countries, within countries, and within groups of Internet users and non-users. Some non-democratic states have resisted the potential of e-government to promote transparency, and have been more interested in trying to restrict usage of the Internet within their boundaries. This chapter investigates some of these variations in digitally aided transparency.Less
Digital government refers to the use by government of information and communication technology, including the Internet, both internally and to interact with citizens, businesses, and other governments. This chapter briefly outlines the development of digital government. It suggests three key ways in which digital government could be more transparent than government of the ‘pre-digital’ era and three ways in which it might become less transparent. The chapter goes on to identify some ways in which these ‘barriers’ to transparency might be overcome, such as the use of electronic tools like search engines and software. Finally, it discusses the strong variations in the potential for digitally aided transparency across countries, within countries, and within groups of Internet users and non-users. Some non-democratic states have resisted the potential of e-government to promote transparency, and have been more interested in trying to restrict usage of the Internet within their boundaries. This chapter investigates some of these variations in digitally aided transparency.
Malanima Paolo, Astrid Kander, and Paul Warde
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691143620
- eISBN:
- 9781400848881
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691143620.003.0006
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Economic History
This chapter focuses on coal development blocks. From an energy point of view, the key aspects of the first industrial revolution were coal, steam, and iron. The development block was built around ...
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This chapter focuses on coal development blocks. From an energy point of view, the key aspects of the first industrial revolution were coal, steam, and iron. The development block was built around two core innovations, the steam engine and new techniques in metallurgy, saving on both labor and land. The chapter first considers the core innovations of the period, including the steam engine, the complementarity of coal and steam power, James Watt's engine and rotary motion, and innovation in iron. It then discusses the growth dynamics of the coal development block, focusing on market widening and market suction with respect to coal and iron, and concludes with an analysis of the transport revolution during the period.Less
This chapter focuses on coal development blocks. From an energy point of view, the key aspects of the first industrial revolution were coal, steam, and iron. The development block was built around two core innovations, the steam engine and new techniques in metallurgy, saving on both labor and land. The chapter first considers the core innovations of the period, including the steam engine, the complementarity of coal and steam power, James Watt's engine and rotary motion, and innovation in iron. It then discusses the growth dynamics of the coal development block, focusing on market widening and market suction with respect to coal and iron, and concludes with an analysis of the transport revolution during the period.
Malanima Paolo, Astrid Kander, and Paul Warde
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691143620
- eISBN:
- 9781400848881
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691143620.003.0009
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Economic History
This chapter examines the impact of major development blocks on the diffusion of new energy carriers and energy consumption in twentieth-century Europe. The focus is on the drivers of energy ...
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This chapter examines the impact of major development blocks on the diffusion of new energy carriers and energy consumption in twentieth-century Europe. The focus is on the drivers of energy transitions and economic energy efficiency. The second and third industrial revolutions were each distinguished by major development blocks in the fields of energy and communication. In the second industrial revolution, starting around 1870, there were two main development blocks: one centered on the internal combustion engine and oil use (the ICE-Oil block) and another one centered on electricity (the Electricity block). In the third industrial revolution, which took off from the mid-1970s, the development block around information and communication technology (the ICT block) becomes dominant, with the transistor as its macro-innovation. The chapter discusses the functioning of the core macro-innovation of each development block as well as its diffusion in society using the concepts of market suction and market widening.Less
This chapter examines the impact of major development blocks on the diffusion of new energy carriers and energy consumption in twentieth-century Europe. The focus is on the drivers of energy transitions and economic energy efficiency. The second and third industrial revolutions were each distinguished by major development blocks in the fields of energy and communication. In the second industrial revolution, starting around 1870, there were two main development blocks: one centered on the internal combustion engine and oil use (the ICE-Oil block) and another one centered on electricity (the Electricity block). In the third industrial revolution, which took off from the mid-1970s, the development block around information and communication technology (the ICT block) becomes dominant, with the transistor as its macro-innovation. The chapter discusses the functioning of the core macro-innovation of each development block as well as its diffusion in society using the concepts of market suction and market widening.
Vaclav Smil
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- July 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780195168747
- eISBN:
- 9780199835522
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195168747.001.0001
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Economic History
This book is a systematic interdisciplinary account of the history of unprecedented technical advances that took place in Europe and North America during the three pre-WWI generations and of their ...
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This book is a systematic interdisciplinary account of the history of unprecedented technical advances that took place in Europe and North America during the three pre-WWI generations and of their truly epochal consequences. It takes a close look at four classes of fundamental innovations: formation, diffusion, and standardization of electricity-generating systems and the distribution and uses of this most versatile form of energy; invention and rapid adoption of internal combustion engines, the dominant prime mover in transportation; the unprecedented pace of the introduction of new materials and industrial chemical syntheses; and the birth of a new information age thanks to the new means of communication. These chapters are followed by an evaluation of the lasting impact these advances had on the 20th century, that is, the creation of high-energy societies engaged in mass production aimed at improving standards of living.Less
This book is a systematic interdisciplinary account of the history of unprecedented technical advances that took place in Europe and North America during the three pre-WWI generations and of their truly epochal consequences. It takes a close look at four classes of fundamental innovations: formation, diffusion, and standardization of electricity-generating systems and the distribution and uses of this most versatile form of energy; invention and rapid adoption of internal combustion engines, the dominant prime mover in transportation; the unprecedented pace of the introduction of new materials and industrial chemical syntheses; and the birth of a new information age thanks to the new means of communication. These chapters are followed by an evaluation of the lasting impact these advances had on the 20th century, that is, the creation of high-energy societies engaged in mass production aimed at improving standards of living.
Ida Susser
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195367317
- eISBN:
- 9780199951192
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195367317.003.0010
- Subject:
- Sociology, Social Stratification, Inequality, and Mobility, Urban and Rural Studies
This chapter analyzes the formation of a successful local movement and the way in which friendships and local cooperation facilitated its development. The movement was prompted by New York City Fire ...
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This chapter analyzes the formation of a successful local movement and the way in which friendships and local cooperation facilitated its development. The movement was prompted by New York City Fire Commissioner O'Hagan proposal to close Engine Company 212, which was located in the Northside section of Williamsburg. Local residents, objecting to the loss of protection, gathered outside the firehouse to protest the removal of the engine. This became the first episode of a long struggle on the part of Northside residents to win back a fully equipped and functioning firefighting company.Less
This chapter analyzes the formation of a successful local movement and the way in which friendships and local cooperation facilitated its development. The movement was prompted by New York City Fire Commissioner O'Hagan proposal to close Engine Company 212, which was located in the Northside section of Williamsburg. Local residents, objecting to the loss of protection, gathered outside the firehouse to protest the removal of the engine. This became the first episode of a long struggle on the part of Northside residents to win back a fully equipped and functioning firefighting company.
