1. An analysis of exploration and exploitation using attraction basins on 2D and 3D continuous functions : master's thesisMihael Baketarić, 2020, magistrsko delo Opis: In this thesis we were discussing an analysis of numerical optimization algorithms from the most important aspect, that is exploration and exploitation. We focused on 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional unconstrained continuous functions, which were used to test the recently proposed metric based on attraction basins. The metric does not need any user-defined parameters. Attraction basins were expounded more profoundly and extensively. Our algorithm to calculate them consists of three steps such as making potential boundaries, filling, and then removing false boundaries from attraction basins. Results show that our algorithm is barely satisfying, depends on a particular problem function used. For example, attraction basins from Rastrigin, Schwefel, Ackley and similar functions (including all unimodal ones) were calculated accurately, while more special functions like Michalewicz, Shubert and Branin were proved to be not so easy. Further, we arbitrarly selected two algorithms, Particle Swarm Optimization and Self-adapting Differential Evolution, not for comparative study, rather to test the metric based on attraction basins. Results implied the relevance of recently proposed metric, and opened us a fruitful field for further investigation.
Ključne besede: exploration, exploitation, attraction basins, optimization, metaheuristic
Objavljeno v DKUM: 04.11.2020; Ogledov: 889; Prenosov: 93
 Celotno besedilo (1,76 MB) |
2. Influence of Sustainable Quality Management on Organizational PerformanceMatjaž Maletič, 2013, doktorska disertacija Opis: The purpose of this research is to present and test a conceptual framework to aid in understanding and explaining the relationship between sustainability practices and organisational performance. The relevant theoretical insights are presented first, followed by a discussion of the relationship between quality management and sustainability. An extensive literature review is conducted on key intersections of quality management and sustainability. The research further investigates the dimensions of sustainability practices through the review. It develops a reliable and valid instrument for the sustainability practice constructs, which could be beneficial for both practitioners and academicians. Based on the notion of exploitation and exploration concepts, the research delineates sustainability practices and proposes causal relationships between sustainability practices and organisational performance.
Furthermore, the conceptual framework is further discussed in terms of different outcomes related to sustainability performance, quality performance and business performance. One of the primary propositions of this framework is that the alternative relationships between sustainability practices (exploitation and exploration) and organisational performance depend on different factors, including environmental uncertainty, competitiveness, long-term orientation and institutional approaches. Therefore, the research is an attempt to cover the relatively less empirically explored area of the dynamics of corporate sustainability and organisational performance.
The empirical data for this study was drawn from a large-scale international survey based on the following countries: Slovenia, Spain, Serbia, Poland, and Germany. A total of 247 organisations participated in the survey.
The outcome of regression analyses provides the evidence that sustainability practices positively and significantly influence organisational performance. Regarding the antecedents of sustainability practices, our findings suggest that the main enablers for the successful adoption of sustainable practices are the support of top management, the integration of sustainability into vision and strategy, and the establishment of a sustainability centred culture.
Furthermore, empirical evidence from this research also confirmed the existence of ambidextrous orientation, suggesting that organisations that are able to simultaneously pursue exploratory and exploitative sustainability practices can also expect performance benefits. However, the results indicate that when organisations maintain relatively high levels of exploratory and exploitative practices, significant relationship between sustainability practices and organisational performance seems to disappear.
The results of the MANOVA analysis indicate that there are significant mean differences in organisational performance measures for low and high levels of sustainability practices. Therefore, by focusing on exploration and exploitation practices, organisations can expect to achieve higher performance outputs and outcomes. In addition to the direct influence of sustainability practices on the organisational performance, results also revealed that the innovation performance serves as a mediator in the relationship between sustainability practices and financial and market performance. This suggests that greater engagement in sustainability exploration and sustainability exploitation leads to greater innovation performance, which in turn leads to greater financial and market performance.
The results also support the contingency and institutional view with regard to the relationship between sustainability practices and performance rather than relying upon a ‘universal’ view of sustainability practices. For example, the results show that in moderate environmental contexts (moderate competitiveness and uncertainty) sustainability exploitation practices seem to be a predominant predictor of organisational performance. However, it appears that when the level of competitiveness increases, sustainabi
Ključne besede: corporate sustainability, sustainability exploitation, sustainability exploration, quality management, organisational performance
Objavljeno v DKUM: 12.06.2018; Ogledov: 2481; Prenosov: 191
Celotno besedilo (2,63 MB) |
3. The exploitation and opportunities of turism potential of regions lagging behind in South-TransdanubiaMónika Berki, János Csapó, 2006, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: If we have a look at the „negative regions” or in other words the regions lagging behind in Hungary we can distinguish between external and internal peripheries. The external peripheries are associated with border areas, the internal ones with agricultural activities. In these micro regions unemployment rate is above the national average, income position is below the average, the share of foreign capital and entrepreneurial activity is low. Those micro regions facing the problems of bordering areas can be found at almost every bordering areas except for the western region, while the ones facing the sectoral problems of agriculture dominated areas (internal peripheries) can be highlighted in South-Transdanubia (Baranya, Somogy and Tolna counties), or North East Hungary (Hajdúság). Most of these regions though are rich in natural and cultural resources (national parks, protected natural areas of course due to their bordering function they have not been disturbed by economic activities) which may offer opportunities for tourism. The appearing problems of development include the poor infrastructure of the towns and villages, the higher than average ratio of poverty ridden residential areas and the low standard of community services and public utilities.
In our study we chose two micro regions with characteristic features to demonstrate the problem on a micro regional level.
Ključne besede: lagging regions, tourism potential, opportunities, exploitation
Objavljeno v DKUM: 02.03.2018; Ogledov: 1267; Prenosov: 104
Celotno besedilo (340,56 KB)
Gradivo ima več datotek! Več... |
4. Organizational ambidexterity, exploration, exploitation and firms innovation performanceMladenka Popadić, Matej Černe, Ines Milohnić, 2015, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Background and Purpose: The construct of organizational ambidexterity (OA) has attracted the growing attention in management research. Previous empirical research has investigated the effect of organisational ambidexterity on performance from various perspectives. This study aims to resolve the contradictory previous research findings on the relationship between organisational ambidexterity and innovation performance. We unpack this construct with combined dimension of ambidexterity, which relates to a combination of high levels of both exploration and exploitation (introduction of products or services that were new to the market and new to the firm).
Methodology: We frame our ambidexterity hypothesis in terms of firm’s innovation orientation. The hypothesis is tested by using Community Innovation Survey (CIS) 2006 micro data at the organizational level in twelve countries. To operationalize an ambidexterity and firms innovation outcome, we used self-reported measures of innovativeness.
Results: To test our hypothesis, we developed a set of models and tested them with multiple hierarchical linear regression analyses. The results indicate that exploration and exploitation are positively related to firm’s innovation performances which supports our assumption that both are complementary. Furthermore, we find that above and over their independent effects, through combining them into a single construct of organizational ambidexterity, this variable remains negatively and significantly related to innovation performance.
Conclusion: These results provides the managers with an idea of when managing trade-offs between exploration and exploitation would be more favorable versus detrimental. For firms with lower organizational ambidexterity, the relationship between exploration-exploitation and the firm’s innovation performance is a more positive one.
Ključne besede: enterprises, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, organizational ambidexterity, exploration, exploitation, innovation performance
Objavljeno v DKUM: 10.01.2018; Ogledov: 1211; Prenosov: 391
Celotno besedilo (413,65 KB)
Gradivo ima več datotek! Več... |
5. Clarifying power, domination, and exploitation : between "classical" and "Foucauldian" concepts of powerTibor Rutar, 2017, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: The paper examines two ubiquitous concepts of power: the "classical sociological" concept which draws on Max Weber's definition of power, and the "Foucauldian" concept which stems from Michel Foucault's genealogical works. Three main theses are argued for. First, the two concepts are not, in most respects, as radically different as it is usually claimed. It is demonstrated that both can make room for different sources of power, for understanding power in a non-reified way, for the fact that power is rarely completely centralised, etc. Second, in those respects in which the two concepts actually differ, the classical view of power is more convincing and useful than the Foucauldian one. It is demonstrated that the Foucauldian view is implicitly positivist in the normative domain and thus unable to differentiate between power and domination, and that it succumbs to errors of methodological holism (i. e. undertheorising agency). Third, it is argued that the classical sociological view allows to analytically distinguish between power, domination and exploitation. These three categories are shown not to be synonymous and to carry with them importantly different sociological implications. It is demonstrated that exploitation cannot merely refer to any process of unpaid appropriation of surplus as obvious false positives are generated from this definition. Nonetheless, such appropriation is the fundamental characteristic which differentiates exploitation from domination (but not power itself), and this reveals an important sociological implication for the dynamics of struggle of the exploited against exploitation in contrast to the struggle of the dominated against the dominators.
Ključne besede: power, domination, exploitation, Foucault, value-neutrality
Objavljeno v DKUM: 24.10.2017; Ogledov: 1505; Prenosov: 166
Celotno besedilo (423,22 KB)
Gradivo ima več datotek! Več... |
6. Geothermal heat potential - the source for heating greenhouses in Southestern EuropeDanijela Urbancl, Peter Trop, Darko Goričanec, 2016, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: The paper presents economically evaluated solutions for heating greenhouses with geothermal potential, if the same greenhouse is placed in two different locations in Southeastern Europe, one in Slovenia and the other in Serbia. The direct geothermal water exploitation using heat exchangers is presented and the remaining heat potential of already used geothermal water is exploited using high temperature heat pumps. Energy demands for heating greenhouses are calculated considering climatic parameters of both locations. Furthermore, different constructions materials are taken into account, and energy demands are evaluated if the same greenhouse is made of 4 mm toughened single glass, double insulated glass or polycarbonate plates. The results show that the geothermal energy usage is economically feasible in both locations, because payback periods are in range from two to almost eight years for different scenarios.
Ključne besede: geothermal heat exploitation, greenhouses energy demands, high temperature heat pump, economic analysis
Objavljeno v DKUM: 07.07.2017; Ogledov: 1519; Prenosov: 388
Celotno besedilo (1,02 MB)
Gradivo ima več datotek! Več... |
7. African LiteratureDenis Recek, 2011, diplomsko delo Opis: The topic of this diploma is the formation and shaping of African literature. The first chapter is about the beginning of African literature. It describes oral literature and its transmission into written literature. Written African literature had great problems in becoming a part of world literature because of its diversity of languages and dialects. Christianity and Islam are mentioned as two religions which had a great impact on African literature. Colonialism is broadly described as an essential factor in the development of African literature. The second chapter is an analysis of a famous novel written by Alan Paton entitled Cry the Beloved Country. It speaks of a parson searching for his son in a big city. During this search there are many descriptions of the circumstances people live and their relationships. I compared the novel to a recent movie about aliens that are imprisoned in a concentration camp entitled District 9.
Ključne besede: African literature, Colonialism, aliens, Johannesburg, exploitation
Objavljeno v DKUM: 05.09.2011; Ogledov: 3097; Prenosov: 144
Celotno besedilo (942,80 KB) |
