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Design, implementation, and use of an effective strategic performance management framework for defence organisations
No full textAbstract: Introduction: Defence organisations face increasing challenges in adapting to geopolitical shifts and to the turbulent environment. Currently, hybrid threats demand the integration of civilian and military resources and efforts to enhance resilience, requiring collaboration across diverse stakeholders. Despite this need to engage with - and demonstrate performance towards - a wide array of stakeholders, existing performance management (PM) systems within defence fail to align with strategic objectives and address stakeholder complexity effectively. Notably, frameworks like the Balanced Scorecard prioritize internal efficiency, thereby neglecting the multidimensional nature of defence activities and the need for multi-stakeholder integration. Research question: Given the performance and stakeholder-related gaps, the critical question addressed within this manuscript is: How can defence organisations demonstrate performance towards the complex set of stakeholders within an increasingly demanding environment? Methodology: In the first phase of this research, a readily available systematic literature review (SLR) was utilized to contextualize challenges in defence performance management. Subsequently, a defence-specific strategic-level performance management framework was designed using thematic analysis of qualitative data collected through semi-structured interviews and strategy-related documents from twelve NATO nations. Building on this foundation, the second phase focused on illuminating stakeholder management and network complexity. This involved conducting an SLR and bibliometric analysis, which led to the extraction, synthesis, and integration of insights from a final set of 206 highly influential studies. Following this, a meta-synthesis was performed, analysing 2,113 relationships across parameters such as resources, processes, and outcomes within the study set. Findings: First, the new Defence Performance Management Framework (DPMF) addresses gaps in existing systems by aligning strategic objectives with processes and resources, thereby facilitating discussions between stakeholders about commitments versus constraints. Additionally, insights on defence strategy within NATO Member States highlighted trade-offs in addressing organisational challenges, offering guidance for redesigning national defence strategies. Furthermore, the SLR revealed fragmentation in stakeholder management research, emphasizing the need for holistic approaches for both scholars and practitioners. Finally, the meta-synthesis identified misalignments between stakeholder agendas and defence priorities, highlighting changes influenced by varying risk levels as well as differences between large and small countries\u2019 strategies. Overall, these findings underscore the importance of adaptive and inclusive management practices in defence, particularly in navigating complex stakeholder environments
Embodying the unseen : contestation and resilience of Jathilan trance dance in Yogyakarta and beyond
No full textAbstract: Jathilan is one of the names of the traditional Javanese trance dance, which combines elements of ritual and entertainment. Its performers are believed to become possessed by spirits and demonstrate various feats of physical invulnerability, like touching hot coals or eating shattered glass. Despite its most likely pre-Islamic origins, jathilan was not obliterated by Islamization or modernization and presently enjoys remarkable popularity among villagers and lower-class urbanites. The tradition\u2019s significance is evident in its spread, following the routes of Javanese migration to other Indonesian islands, neighboring countries (Singapore and Malaysia), and other former Dutch colonies (Suriname). Performers\u2019 communities in all these localities are facing their own challenges and finding their own ways to overcome them. Despite any contestation, jathilan has not undergone processes of heritagization or museumification; rather, it continues to be (re-)produced and consumed on the local grassroots level. While serving as a performance for both human and the unseen spirit audiences, it also manifests a locally-specific communal identity (majority or minority, Javanese or Malay). In this dissertation, I aim to provide both a description and analysis of jathilan in the Special Region of Yogyakarta as a socio-cultural phenomenon, with particular attention paid to the resilience and adaptability of the tradition. I place special emphasis on the trance component of jathilan, which, despite being contested by the state\u2019s religious and cultural policies, is, as I argue, the key factor to understanding the attraction of the dance to its performers and spectators alike. Building on my own fieldwork and photo documentation of performances in conjunction with ethnographic, historical, and theoretical literature, I strive to present a more layered depiction of jathilan than has ever been attempted before and suggest my own explanations for its unfading popularity. I believe that reflecting upon the vitality and adaptability of jathilan can provide further insights for rethinking the underpinnings of the notions of popular and traditional culture along with the opportunity of viewing those from a non-Western perspective
Students\u2019 willingness to engage with feedback from central tests : the influence of cognitive and non-cognitive student characteristics
No full textAbstract: In contemporary education, increasing attention is paid to the developmental use of central tests. While the usefulness of performance data for school improvement is widely acknowledged, students\u2019 willingness to engage with individual feedback from low-stakes central tests has received less scrutiny. This study explores such willingness using survey data from 15526 students in Flemish education. Multilevel regression analyses examined relations with students\u2019 cognitive attitudes, test-taking effort, ability, gender, and educational level. Overall, students\u2019 willingness proved limited, yet variation emerged. A more positive cognitive attitude and greater test-taking effort related to higher willingness. Conversely, secondary school students and boys reported lower willingness, with effects varying across student characteristics. Findings highlight that students\u2019 willingness cannot be assumed. To fully harness the potential of feedback from low-stakes central tests as an informational resource and a developmental learning tool for students, fostering students\u2019 understanding of the value of both tests and feedback is crucial
Ecological risks and recent inputs of banned and current-use pesticides in surface water and sediment from Malawi's tobacco-growing region
No full textAbstract: Pesticides play a key role in conventional agriculture and food security. However, their heavy use poses human and environmental risks. In this study, we employed the QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe) method, followed by gas or liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, to quantify pesticide residues commonly associated with tobacco farming and to assess their ecological risks in river systems. We detected residues of banned and currently registered pesticides in water and sediment. Pyrethroid residues were higher, with concentrations of 7.62\u201315.2 \u3bcg/L in water and 0.51\u20138.71 \u3bcg/kg in sediment (\u3b1-cypermethrin). Organophosphates ranged from 0.94 to 13.3 \u3bcg/L in water and 0.08\u20135.37 \u3bcg/kg in sediment (chlorpyrifos-methyl); organochlorines from 0.11 \u3bcg/L (\u3b3-HCH) to 10.8 \u3bcg/L (o,p'-DDT) in water and 0.08 \u3bcg/kg (p,p'-DDT) to 5.48 \u3bcg/kg (\u3b1-HCH) in sediment; and neonicotinoids from 0.02 to 4.19 \u3bcg/L in water and 0.03\u20134.52 \u3bcg/kg in sediment (imidacloprid). Seasonality and water quality had weak effects on most pesticide levels (95% credible intervals). Degradation and isomer profiles indicated recent inputs of DDT and HCH. Except for neonicotinoids, all detected pesticides in water posed considerable ecological risks (RQ > 1), and their mixtures could cause acute harm to algae, invertebrates, and fish (STU >1). In contrast, neonicotinoids in porewater primarily threatened sediment-dwelling organisms (RQ > 1), particularly Chironomus spp. This study provides critical evidence of ecological risks posed by tobacco pesticides in aquatic ecosystems. We recommend regular pesticide monitoring to safeguard river health and guide ecological management in tobacco-producing regions. Promoting safer pesticide use is strongly encouraged
Climate change, compensation and unpredictable or uninsurable loss: a possible path forward using compensation funds
No full textAbstract: Climate change has created existential challenges for current models of natural hazard insurance, and it may be difficult going forward for these models to consistently, fairly and coherently manage the compensation challenges associated with climate change impacts in Europe. This paper analyses the application of a comprehensive no-fault compensation fund framework to the problem of presently uninsured and technically uninsurable losses that are currently inadequately covered by other compensation mechanisms, and for which compensation may be difficult to recover using tort law mechanisms. The proposed structure includes consideration of the purpose and form of the fund, eligibility and categories of loss covered, quantum of compensation, and funding sources. There is also a preliminary consideration of the impact of such a fund on questions of liability. The proposed model illustrates potential ways for a compensation fund to support and complement existing compensation structures such as insurance and civil liability, and provide the necessary stabilisation in European society. Further legal research in this area will require qualitative and quantitative empirical data on how existing compensation frameworks (including innovative insurance instruments like parametric insurance) have so far positively and negatively impacted the ability of victims of climate change to prepare for and recover from loss incidents, in comparison with tort law and existing insurance
A route towards carbon nanotube enantiomer characterization : chiral sorting, hyperspectral imaging and automated nanotube segmentation
No full textAbstract: Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are interesting nanomaterials conceptually formed by rolling up a layer of graphene. Their electronic and optical properties depend on their exact structure, yet synthesis cannot yet produce samples with just one structure. Therefore, samples consist of a mixture of different structures, and thus also different properties. This thesis explores advanced methodologies for the sorting and characterization of SWCNTs, with a particular focus on chiral separation, hyperspectral imaging, and deep learning-based segmentation techniques. First, the influence of surfactants in the chiral sorting of SWCNTs is investigated, emphasizing their role in selective separation. Aqueous Two-Phase Extraction (ATPE) is identified as a key technique for isolating SWCNT species based on their structure, where the competition between various surfactant systems dictates the separation outcome. In this work, a systematic approach is used to investigate how the relative concentration of these surfactants can be quickly optimized to separate various SWCNT chiralities. Secondly, I focused on hyperspectral imaging of empty and water-filled SWCNT enantiomers. To analyze the hyperspectral images, a convolutional neural network (CNN) was developed, allowing for the automated segmentation and classification of SWCNT species. This methodology allows for measuring and analyzing thousands of individual SWCNT species in a single day, offering macroscopic statistics with single nanotube precision for high-throughput SWCNT analysis. Additionally, deblurring techniques via pixel reassignment (DPR) are incorporated to achieve higher spatial resolution, enabling a more accurate analysis of SWCNT length distributions and mass fraction statistics. Finally, the potential of hyperspectral imaging with CNN segmentation of SWCNT enantiomers to calibrate chiroptical spectroscopic techniques is investigated. The study reveals significant differences between SWCNTs originating from different synthesis sources, alerting researchers to consider these aspects in future work. This final chapter elucidates the importance of in depth large statistical studies on the scale of individual SWCNTs to unravel origins of strongly inhomogeneous properties in SWCNT samples from different sources
Enqu\ueates diffractives et dramaturgies intra-actives : les agents robotiques dans les arts vivants autres qu\u2019humains
No full textAbstract: This thesis examines how the performing arts serve as critical experimentation sites to question robotic technologies and their sociopolitical implications. Starting from the premise that robots actively contribute to the co-construction of human cultures, it explores how contemporary dramaturgies stage human-robot relationships capable of destabilizing technosolutionist, technopatriarchal, technoracist, and technocapitalist narratives. Drawing on the concept of diffractive inquiry to observe robotic intra-active dramaturgies, I propose methodological pathways for analyzing the discursive materiality of robots on stage and the cultural and political entanglements revealed by these configurations. Through the study of works by Kris Verdonck, Sun Yuan and Peng Yu, Hirata Oriza, Stefan Kaegi, Bill Vorn, Louis-Philippe Demers, and \uc9ric Minh Cuong Castaing, this research highlights how these artists reinvent human-robot relations by subverting the dominant axes of robotic innovation: labor optimization, care automation, and the robotization of collaborations. These performances uncover alternative, broader, plural, and solidaristic ways of being together by diverting neoliberal logics of efficiency and exposing the toxicity of familiarity and normalcy implicit in robotics. This research invites us to rethink our political responsibilities toward technologies and to care for our robotic imaginaries. It advocates for acknowledging technological agencies to build more sensitive, conscious, and sustainable relationships between humans, robots, and the cultural ecosystems in which we evolve. Keywords: Robotic theater, robotic performance, intra-actions, agential realism, diffractive inquiries, and technosolidarities
Crowdsourcing effectiveness : a contingency logic perspective
No full textAbstract: This PhD dissertation is a call for rethinking the assumption that crowdsourcing is a uniformly appropriate mechanism for solution search across different circumstances. It critiques the prevalent \u201cone-size-fits-all\u201d misconception about the phenomenon and favors a Contingency approach. Chapter 2 questions the historical reliance on the number of participants as a proxy for crowdsourcing success. Instead, it focuses on crowdsourcing efficiency, defined as the ratio between inputs (time, financial resources, evaluation costs) and outputs (solution quality, attainment of strategic objectives). The chapter conceptualizes the targeting level\u2014a key determinant of efficiency\u2014along a continuum from open to guided to focused recruitment. Drawing on 21 qualitative case studies, it demonstrates that efficiency depends on the fit between the problem\u2019s knowledge requirements and the targeting level applied, a relationship further shaped by organizational and institutional trade-offs faced by managers. Chapter 3 examines solver heterogeneity through survey data from 260 STEM experts. It identifies two distinct profiles: elite (senior) and non-elite (junior) experts, who differ in both search behaviors and motivational drivers. Elite experts- often more appropriate for highly technical problems- prefer being approached directly by seekers (\u201chunting\u201d approach) and value non-financial incentives, while non-elite experts are more responsive to financial incentives and the \u201cfishing\u201d approach, in which solvers personally search for open calls. These patterns explain why fishing-based approaches often yield meagre outcomes and impose information overload on seekers when addressing highly technical problems. Finally, Chapter 4 explores crowdsourcing during large-scale crises, combining a survey from 122 non-elite experts and 7 complementary interviews. I find that while hunting reduces the cognitive costs of search for solvers, it fails to satisfy their need for proactiveness and emotional engagement, suggesting fishing as a more effective approach to sustain prosocial participation in times of crisis. Together, the findings underscore the need for more informed governance decisions to ensure the alignment between the crowdsourcing approach on one hand and the problem attributes solver heterogeneity, and contextual intricacies on the other hand. Building on the insights in this work, I encourage both researchers and practitioners to move beyond tautological assumptions about crowdsourcing and reconsider governance as a strategic decision grounded in typological, individual and situational nuances of their solution search efforts
Noot onder ECSR nr. 191/2020 van 2 juli 2024, European Federation of National Organisations working with the Homeless (FEANTSA) t/ Tsjechi\ueb
No full textAbstract: 1.Deze zaak ingespannen door de Europese federatie van nationale organisaties die met thuis- en daklozen werken (FEANTSA) betrof de toegang tot huisvesting van kwetsbare gezinnen in Tsjechi\ueb. Arme gezinnen leven er vaak in pensions in sociaal achtergestelde wijken, met tijdelijke huurovereenkomsten. Het Europees Comit\ue9 voor Sociale Rechten (ECSR), dat toezicht houdt op het Europees Sociaal Handvest (ESH), stelde meerdere schendingen vast van het recht van gezinnen op sociale, juridische en economische bescherming (artikel 16 ESH)
Conflict participation and attitudes towards displaced persons : evidence from the Democratic Republic of the Congo
No full textAbstract: What drives attitudes towards forcibly displaced persons in conflict-affected communities? We present survey experimental evidence from a large sample of displaced and host populations in the Kasai provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a region that has been affected by violent conflict but remains severely under-researched. Our results reveal that perceptions of security risks, deservingness, and humanitarian concerns significantly shape attitudes. Respondents are less willing to host displaced persons who participated in the fighting compared to victims of violence, with particular aversion toward those affiliated with militias who are perceived as more accountable for the conflict and as posing a greater security risk. We contribute to the literature on attitudes towards migrants by highlighting that hosts in conflict-affected communities are driven by a broader range of concerns than those identified in the existing literature, which primarily focuses on the US and European contexts