Download or read book Dealing with Dysfunction written by Jorrit de Jong and published by Brookings Institution Press. This book was released on 2016-09-13 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How can we intervene in the systemic bureaucratic dysfunction that beleaguers the public sector? De Jong examines the roots of this dysfunction and presents a novel approach to solving it. Drawing from academic literature on bureaucracy and problem solving in the public sector, and the clinical work of the Kafka Brigade—a social enterprise based in the Netherlands dedicated to diagnosing and remedying bureaucratic dysfunction in practice, this study reveals the shortcomings of conventional approaches to bureaucratic reform. The usual methods have failed to diagnose problems, distinguish symptoms, or identify root causes in a comprehensive or satisfactory way. They have also failed to engage clients, professionals, and midlevel managers in understanding and addressing the dysfunction that plagues them. This book offers conceptual frameworks, theoretical insights, and practical lessons for dealing with the problem. It sets a course for rigorous public problem solving to create governments that can be more effective, efficient, equitable, and responsive to social concerns. De Jong argues that successfully remedying bureaucratic dysfunction depends on employing diagnostics capable of distinguishing and dissecting various kinds of dysfunction. The “Anna Karenina principle” applies here: all well functioning bureaucracies are alike; every dysfunctional bureaucracy is dysfunctional in its own way. The author also asserts that the worst dysfunction occurs when multiple organizations share responsibility for a problem, but no single organization is primarily responsible for solving it. This points to a need for creating and reinforcing distributed problem solving capacity focused on deep (cross-)organizational learning and revised accountability structures. Our best approach to dealing with dysfunction may therefore not be top-down regulatory reform, but rather relentless bottom-up and cross-boundary leadership and innovation. Using fourteen clinical cases of bureaucratic dysfunction investigated by the Kafka Brigade, the author demonstrates how a proper process for identifying, defining, diagnosing, and remedying the problem can produce better outcomes.

Download or read book How to Cope with an Intractable Problem written by Debajit Sensarma and published by LAP Lambert Academic Publishing. This book was released on 2013 with total page 72 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Two-level logic minimization is an attractive topic in the active research domain and it is a central problem in logic synthesis, as well as in reliability analysis and automated reasoning and other real life applications. But, this Two-level logic minimization problem involves computationally intractable problems and many heuristic approaches have been developed to cope with this problem. This book contains the work which deals with the Two-level logic minimization problem using a popular data structure called Binary Decision Diagram (BDD) which is an important family of data structures that have rapidly become the method of choice for representing and manipulating Boolean Functions inside a computer. Also the implicit set manipulation techniques based on BDD could be used with success to compute the sets of Prime and Essential Prime Implicants of Boolean Functions for which these sets are too large to be explicitly built. So, this feature of BDD, the proper variable ordering of the BDD, Reduced Ordered BDD and other heuristic methods are used in this work for solving the Two-level logic minimization problem for the functions which generates large set of Prime Implicants.

Download or read book The Oxford Handbook of Stress Health and Coping written by Susan Folkman Ph.D. and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2010-11-30 with total page 486 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Few publications have changed the landscape of contemporary psychology more than Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman's landmark work, Stress, Appraisal, and Coping. Its publication in 1984 set the course for years of research on the dynamic processes of psychological stress and coping in human beings. Now more than a quarter-century later, The Oxford Handbook of Stress, Health, and Coping pushes the field even further with a comprehensive overview of the newest and best work in this dynamic subject. Edited by Susan Folkman and comprising chapters by the field's leading scientists, this new volume details the expanded knowledge base that has emerged from extensive research on stress and coping processes over the last several decades. Featuring 22 topic-based chapters -- including two by Folkman -- this volume offers unprecedented coverage of the two primary research topics related to stress and coping: mitigating stress-related harms and sustaining well-being in the face of stress. Both topics are addressed within their relevant contexts, including chronic illness, calamity, bereavement, and social hardship. The Oxford Handbook of Stress, Health, and Coping is an essential reference work for students, practitioners, and researchers across the fields of health psychology, medicine, and palliative care.

Download or read book Mastering Algorithms and Data Structures written by and published by Cybellium Ltd. This book was released on with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Unleash the Power of Efficient Problem-Solving In the realm of computer science and programming, algorithms and data structures are the building blocks of efficient problem-solving. "Mastering Algorithms and Data Structures" is your essential guide to understanding and harnessing the potential of these foundational concepts, empowering you to create optimized and elegant solutions. About the Book: As technology evolves and computational challenges grow more complex, a solid foundation in algorithms and data structures becomes crucial for programmers and engineers. "Mastering Algorithms and Data Structures" offers an in-depth exploration of these core concepts—an indispensable toolkit for professionals and enthusiasts alike. This book caters to both beginners and experienced programmers aiming to excel in algorithmic thinking, problem-solving, and code optimization. Key Features: Algorithmic Fundamentals: Begin by understanding the core principles of algorithms. Learn how algorithms drive the execution of tasks and solve computational problems. Data Structures: Dive into the world of data structures. Explore arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees, and graphs—the fundamental building blocks of organizing and storing data. Algorithm Analysis: Grasp the art of analyzing algorithm complexity. Learn how to measure time and space efficiency to ensure optimal algorithm performance. Searching and Sorting Algorithms: Explore essential searching and sorting algorithms. Understand how to search for data efficiently and how to sort data for easier manipulation. Dynamic Programming: Understand the power of dynamic programming. Learn how to break down complex problems into smaller subproblems for efficient solving. Graph Algorithms: Delve into graph algorithms. Explore techniques for traversing graphs, finding shortest paths, and detecting cycles. String Algorithms: Grasp techniques for manipulating and analyzing strings. Learn how to search for patterns, match substrings, and perform string transformations. Real-World Applications: Gain insights into how algorithms and data structures are applied across industries. From software development to machine learning, discover the diverse applications of these concepts. Why This Book Matters: In a digital age driven by technological innovation, mastering algorithms and data structures is a competitive advantage. "Mastering Algorithms and Data Structures" empowers programmers, software engineers, and technology enthusiasts to leverage these foundational concepts, enabling them to create efficient, elegant, and optimized solutions that solve complex computational problems. Unlock the Potential of Problem-Solving: In the landscape of computer science, algorithms and data structures are the keys to efficient problem-solving. "Mastering Algorithms and Data Structures" equips you with the knowledge needed to leverage these foundational concepts, enabling you to design elegant and optimized solutions to a wide range of computational challenges. Whether you're an experienced programmer or new to the world of algorithms, this book will guide you in building a solid foundation for effective problem-solving and algorithmic thinking. Your journey to mastering algorithms and data structures starts here. © 2023 Cybellium Ltd. All rights reserved. www.cybellium.com

Download or read book The Nature of Philosophical Problems written by John Kekes and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We must all make choices about how we want to live. We evaluate our possibilities by relying on historical, moral, personal, political, religious, and scientific modes of evaluations, but the values and reasons that follow from them conflict. Philosophical problems are forced on us when we try to cope with such conflicts. There are reasons for and against all proposed ways of coping with the conflicts, but none of them has been generally accepted by reasonable thinkers. The constructive aim of The Nature of Philosophical Problems is to propose a way of understanding the nature of such philosophical problems, explain why they occur, why they are perennial, and propose a pluralist approach as the most reasonable way of coping with them. This approach is practical, context-dependent, and particular. It follows from it that the recurrence of philosophical problems is not a defect, but a welcome consequence of the richness of our modes of understanding that enlarges the range of possibilities by which we might choose to live. The critical aim of the book is to give reasons against both the absolutist attempt to find an overriding value or principle for resolving philosophical problems and of the relativist claim that reasons unavoidably come to an end and how we want to live is ultimately a matter of personal preference, not of reasons.

Download or read book Taming Intractable Conflicts written by Chester A. Crocker and published by US Institute of Peace Press. This book was released on 2004 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Some conflicts seem to defy resolution. Marked by longevity, recurrent violence, and militant agendas, these intractable conflicts refuse to be settled either on the battlefield or at the negotiating table. The longer they fester, the stronger the international community's inclination to lose heart and to turn away. But, explain the authors of this provocative volume, effective mediation in intractable conflicts is possible if the mediator knows what to do and when to do it.Written from the mediator's point of view, "Taming Intractable Conflicts" lays out the steps involved in tackling the most stubborn of conflicts. It first puts mediation in a larger context, exploring why mediators choose or decline to become involved, what happens when they get involved for the wrong reasons, and the impact of the mediator's institutional and political environment. It then discusses best mediation tradecraft at different stages: at the beginning of the engagement, when the going gets very rough, during the settlement negotiations, and in the post-settlement implementation stage.Forceful, concise, and highly readable, "Taming Intractable Conflicts" serves not only as a hands on guide for would-be mediators but also as a powerful argument for students of conflict management that intractable conflicts are not beyond the reach of mediation."

Download or read book Handbook of Approximation Algorithms and Metaheuristics written by Teofilo F. Gonzalez and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2018-05-15 with total page 798 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Handbook of Approximation Algorithms and Metaheuristics, Second Edition reflects the tremendous growth in the field, over the past two decades. Through contributions from leading experts, this handbook provides a comprehensive introduction to the underlying theory and methodologies, as well as the various applications of approximation algorithms and metaheuristics. Volume 1 of this two-volume set deals primarily with methodologies and traditional applications. It includes restriction, relaxation, local ratio, approximation schemes, randomization, tabu search, evolutionary computation, local search, neural networks, and other metaheuristics. It also explores multi-objective optimization, reoptimization, sensitivity analysis, and stability. Traditional applications covered include: bin packing, multi-dimensional packing, Steiner trees, traveling salesperson, scheduling, and related problems. Volume 2 focuses on the contemporary and emerging applications of methodologies to problems in combinatorial optimization, computational geometry and graphs problems, as well as in large-scale and emerging application areas. It includes approximation algorithms and heuristics for clustering, networks (sensor and wireless), communication, bioinformatics search, streams, virtual communities, and more. About the Editor Teofilo F. Gonzalez is a professor emeritus of computer science at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He completed his Ph.D. in 1975 from the University of Minnesota. He taught at the University of Oklahoma, the Pennsylvania State University, and the University of Texas at Dallas, before joining the UCSB computer science faculty in 1984. He spent sabbatical leaves at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education and Utrecht University. He is known for his highly cited pioneering research in the hardness of approximation; for his sublinear and best possible approximation algorithm for k-tMM clustering; for introducing the open-shop scheduling problem as well as algorithms for its solution that have found applications in numerous research areas; as well as for his research on problems in the areas of job scheduling, graph algorithms, computational geometry, message communication, wire routing, etc.

Download or read book Reflections On How We Live written by Annette Baier and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2010-01-28 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The rights of past and future persons -- For the sake of future generations -- Discriminate death-dealing: who may kill whom, and how? -- Can philosophers be patriots? -- Why honesty is a hard virtue postscript -- Getting in touch with our own feelings -- How to get to know one's own mind: some simple ways -- The moral perils of intimacy -- Feelings that matter -- Demoralization, trust, and the virtues -- Sympathy and self-trust -- Putting hope in its place -- How to lose friends: some simple ways -- Alienating affection -- Faces, and other body parts -- Other minds: jottings towards an intellectual self-image.

Download or read book The Five Percent written by Peter Coleman and published by PublicAffairs. This book was released on 2011-05-03 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One in every twenty difficult conflicts ends up grinding to a halt. That's fully 5 percent of not just the diplomatic and political clashes we read about in the newspaper, but disputations and arguments from our everyday lives as well. Once we get pulled into these self-perpetuating conflicts it is nearly impossible to escape. The 5 percent rule us. So what can we do when we find ourselves ensnared? According to Dr. Peter T. Coleman, the solution is in seeing our conflict anew. Applying lessons from complexity theory to examples from both American domestic politics and international diplomacy -- from abortion debates to the enmity between Israelis and Palestinians -- Coleman provides innovative new strategies for dealing with intractable disputes. A timely, paradigm-shifting look at conflict, The Five Percent is an invaluable guide to preventing even the most fractious negotiations from foundering.

Download or read book Prevention and Coping in Child and Family Care written by Michael Sheppard and published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. This book was released on 2003-11-15 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How do mothers cope with child care and associated problems when, in adversity, they do not gain access to social service support? This book considers the important question of mothers' coping strategies when they are in adversity. Drawing upon the women's own accounts, it focuses not only on what they do themselves to deal with their problems, but how they integrate their own problem solving approaches with the use of supports. It also examines the way in which women cope with their own emotional responses to these problems. The women themselves, and their own accounts are placed 'centre stage' in this book. In doing this the book is able to create a major development in our understanding of the nature of Prevention, a central concept in welfare provision. Drawing upon Coping theory, and the findings of this study, this book extends and develops the concept of Prevention, creating a multidimensional model in which the actions of the mother herself (and other primary caregivers) are included alongside traditional domains. It will be of interest to a variety of academic and professional disciplines, including those interested in gender studies, sociology, social policy, as well as social work and health professionals.

Download or read book Advances in the Conceptualization of the Stress Process written by William R. Avison and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2009-10-21 with total page 269 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1981, Leonard Pearlin and his colleagues published an article that would ra- cally shift the sociological study of mental health from an emphasis on psychiatric disorder to a focus on social structure and its consequences for stress and psyc- logical distress. Pearlin et al. (1981) proposed a deceptively simple conceptual model that has now influenced sociological inquiry for almost three decades. With his characteristic penchant for reconsidering and elaborating his own ideas, Pearlin has revisited the stress process model periodically over the years (Pearlin 1989, 1999; Pearlin et al. 2005; Pearlin and Skaff 1996). One of the consequences of this continued theoretical elaboration of the stress process has been the development of a sociological model of stress that embraces the complexity of social life. Another consequence is that the stress process has continued to stimulate a host of empirical investigations in the sociology of mental health. Indeed, it is no exaggeration to suggest that the stress process paradigm has been primarily responsible for the growth and sustenance of sociological research on stress and mental health. Pearlin et al. (1981) described the core elements of the stress process in a brief paragraph: The process of social stress can be seen as combining three major conceptual domains: the sources of stress, the mediators of stress, and the manifestations of stress. Each of these extended domains subsumes a variety of subparts that have been intensively studied in recent years.

Download or read book Coping with Obscurity written by James P. Allen and published by Lockwood Press. This book was released on 2016-02-15 with total page 275 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Coping with Obscurity publishes the papers discussed at the Brown University Workshop on Earlier Egyptian grammar in March, 2013. The workshop united ten scholars of differing viewpoints dealing with the central question of how to judge and interpret the grammatical value of the written evidence preserved in texts of the Old and Middle Kingdoms (ca. 2350-1650 BC). The nine papers in the volume present orthographic, lexical, morphological, and syntactic approaches to the data and represent a significant step toward a new, pluralistic understanding of Earlier Egyptian grammar.

Download or read book Getting Past No written by William Ury and published by Bantam. This book was released on 2007-04-17 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We all want to get to yes, but what happens when the other person keeps saying no? How can you negotiate successfully with a stubborn boss, an irate customer, or a deceitful coworker? In Getting Past No, William Ury of Harvard Law School’s Program on Negotiation offers a proven breakthrough strategy for turning adversaries into negotiating partners. You’ll learn how to: • Stay in control under pressure • Defuse anger and hostility • Find out what the other side really wants • Counter dirty tricks • Use power to bring the other side back to the table • Reach agreements that satisfies both sides' needs Getting Past No is the state-of-the-art book on negotiation for the twenty-first century. It will help you deal with tough times, tough people, and tough negotiations. You don’t have to get mad or get even. Instead, you can get what you want!

Download or read book Vision and Attention written by Michael Jenkin and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2001-05-18 with total page 348 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: CD-ROM contains: Color images and video clips.

Download or read book Wicked Problems in Public Policy written by Brian W. Head and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is an open access book. This book offers the first overview of the 'wicked problems' literature, often seen as complex, open-ended, and intractable, with both the nature of the 'problem' and the preferred 'solution' being strongly contested. It contextualises the debate using a wide range of relevant policy examples, explaining why these issues attract so much attention. There is an increasing interest in the conceptual and practical aspects of how 'wicked problems' are identified, understood and managed by policy practitioners. The standard public management responses to complexity and uncertainty (including traditional regulation and market-based solutions) are insufficient. Leaders often advocate and implement ideological 'quick fixes', but integrative and inclusive responses are increasingly being utilised to recognise the multiple interests and complex causes of these problems. This book uses examples from a wide range of social, economic and environmental fields in order to develop new insights about better solutions, and thus gain broad stakeholder acceptance for shared strategies for tackling 'wicked problems'.

Download or read book A Handbook for the Study of Mental Health written by Teresa L. Scheid and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2017-06-08 with total page 825 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The third edition of A Handbook for the Study of Mental Health presents a comprehensive review of the sociology of mental health.

Download or read book The Benefits of a light heart Humour problem solving and strategies to make it happen written by Prue R. Millear and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2016-10-22 with total page 186 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Life is full of challenges, from the mundane to the difficult and dangerous. The Benefits of a Light Heart is a book which contains a recipe for action, from which you can reframe your problems using the dog metaphor. Dogs, after all, are like our problems - they range from small and innocuous to full-blown, raving monsters. Rather than be too serious, linger awhile and laugh with Dr Prue Millear, PhD (and her alter ego, a cat called Professor Hilary Doodlebug), and discover the Barking Dog Index of Problems. Will you find that you have a Red Kelpie (sensible problems), a Poodle (somewhat annoying ones), or something more challenging, like a Blue Healer (getting really difficult) or the top end, the Hounds of Hell (when civil society has been lost) Once you've identified your Dog and found ways to get your Problem Dog to sit nicely and behave, you can deal with the FLEAS (Fears, Lies, Exaggerations, Absolutes, and Silences) that make any Dog worse than need be.