In previous works (Floridi 2018) I introduced the distinction between hard ethics (which may broadly be described as what is morally right and wrong independently of whether something is legal or illegal), and soft or post-compliance ethics (which focuses on what ought to be done over and above existing legislation). This paper analyses the applicability of soft ethics to the General Data Protection Regulation and advances the theory that soft ethics has a dual advantage—as both an opportunity (...) strategy and a risk management solution. (shrink)

This paper argues that management practices are more readily portable across the sectors than has often been supposed, while indicating where particular care will be needed in translation. The paper suggests, however, that political pressure for control and an epistemological bias may prove to be management's Achilles heel. Further, it examines some dilemmas in the relationship between the manager and the managed, and queries the professions' outrage at being subject to increasingly overt management.

Markets, companies and various forms of business organizations may all (we have argued) be usefully viewed through the lens of CAS -- the theory of complex adaptive systems. In this chapter, I address one fundamental issue that confronts both the theoretician and the business manager: the nature and opportunities for control and intervention in complex adaptive regimes. The problem is obvious enough. A complex adaptive system, as we have defined it, is soft assembled and largely self-organizing. This means that (...) it is the emergent product of multiple, and often very heterogeneous, interacting factors and forces, and that the crucial interactions are not controlled and orchestrated by an overseeing executive, detailed program, or any other source of strict hierarchical control. There is thus a pressing problem -- are such systems strictly out of control and beyond the reach of useful governance? I shall argue that they are not. Such systems, though initially unfamiliar, can nonetheless be led, influenced and enabled in a variety of ways. (shrink)

This chapter contains sections titled: Phenomenological Considerations Addictiveness Dangerousness.

Advanced biological brains are by nature open-ended opportunistic controllers. Such controllers compute, pretty much on a moment-to-moment basis, what problem-solving resources are readily available and recruit them into temporary problem-solving wholes. Neural plasticity, exaggerated in our own species, makes it possible for such resources to become factored deep into both our cognitive and physical problem-solving routines. One way to think about this is to depict the biological brain as a master of what I shall dub ‘ecological control’. Ecological control is (...) the kind of top-level control that does not micro-manage every detail, but rather encourages substantial devolvement of power and responsibility. This kind of control allows much of our skill at walking to reside in the linkages and elastic properties of muscles and tendons. And it allows much of our prowess at thought and reason to depend upon the robust and reliable operation, often in dense brain-involving loops, of a variety of non-biological problem-solving resources spread throughout our social and technological surround. Are the complex distributed systems that result in some sense ‘out of control’, beyond the reach of useful governance? I shall argue that they are not, although understanding them requires us to re-think some key ideas about control and the nature of the self. To make this case, I shall first examine some strategies for efficient, external opportunity exploiting control in simple systems. I shall then argue that many of the same lessons apply to the case of higher-level human problem-solving. (shrink)

Gender bias in leadership and decision-making is a well-documented and pervasive topic that continues to garner significant attention in academic research and business literature. In this paper, by exploiting a unique proprietary dataset of 550 mid-corporate loan applications managed by a major European bank, we explore how the use of soft information influences lending decisions of female loan officers as compared to their male counterparts. We find that use of soft information reduces information asymmetry which helps female officers (...) in making diligent lending decisions resulting in increased granted credit with a lower default probability. We also investigate gender affinity within the banking organisation and find that female loan approvers are more likely to be supportive of their subordinate female loan officers by approving more credit to the loan applications handled by female loan officers. Finally, we examine the possible mechanisms that can explain these results, and find that female loan officers are able to better collect and use soft information as they cultivate and maintain deeper firm-bank relationships with their clients due to higher threat of losing or being penalized in their jobs for any possible errors. We also rule out any other possible explanations such as differences in workload, work experience, loan officers’ optimism, managerial ability, and screening capabilities between female and male loan officers. Our findings carry important policy implications, reflected in the optimal allocation of capital in the economy and the reduction of gender-related exclusion, which is vital in creating an equitable society and fostering a more ethical and inclusive workplace. (shrink)

This paper corroborates the claim that soft hate speech develops argumentative inferences that justify discriminatory hatred, all the while helping establish a common ground of exclusionary and denigrating attitudes in society. Through the prism of Critical Discourse Studies, we synthesise ideas coming from the domains of Argumentation Theory and Cognitive Pragmatics, while drawing on examples from a corpus of comments made in response to LGBTQI + -related articles in Greek news portals. On the one hand, we employ the Argumentum (...) Model of Topics, which enables us to break down how standpoint-argument couplings are inferred in discourse, showcasing how, despite not being overtly argumentative, the relevant discourses can be taken to still manifest an inherent argumentativity that justifies the development of discriminatory stances. Turning, on the other, to Relevance Theory and more specifically its specific approach to communication, which underlines the automaticity by which contextual interpretation takes place, we present a way in which, even though not directly communicated, the denigrated attitudes that are embedded in instances of soft hate speech still manage to creep in an audience’s cognitive environment. (shrink)

Advanced biological brains are by nature open-ended opportunistic controllers. Such controllers compute, pretty much on a moment-to-moment basis, what problem-solving resources are readily available and recruit them into temporary problem-solving wholes. Neural plasticity, exaggerated in our own species, makes it possible for such resources to become factored deep into both our cognitive and physical problem-solving routines. One way to think about this is to depict the biological brain as a master of what I shall dub ‘ecological control’. Ecological control is (...) the kind of top-level control that does not micro-manage every detail, but rather encourages substantial devolvement of power and responsibility. This kind of control allows much of our skill at walking to reside in the linkages and elastic properties of muscles and tendons. And it allows much of our prowess at thought and reason to depend upon the robust and reliable operation, often in dense brain-involving loops, of a variety of non-biological problem-solving resources spread throughout our social and technological surround. Are the complex distributed systems that result in some sense ‘out of control’, beyond the reach of useful governance? I shall argue that they are not, although understanding them requires us to re-think some key ideas about control and the nature of the self. To make this case, I shall first examine some strategies for efficient, external opportunity exploiting control in simple systems. I shall then argue that many of the same lessons apply to the case of higher-level human problem-solving. (shrink)

This paper explores the rise of agential materialism in humanities and science and its influence on technological progress, proposing ‘softness’ as a paradigm for designing increasingly ‘agentised’ technologies. Soft technologies – defined by plastic embodiments, self-organisation, and multi-scalar material design – challenge hegemonic visions of machines as rigid, unfeeling, and subordinate to human control. Case studies in soft and biohybrid robotics, wetware computing, and nanotechnology demonstrate how emerging soft technologies embody unprecedented forms of artificial agency and outline (...) future possibilities for embodied intelligence. A paradigm shift towards softness fosters ‘micro-sustainability’, embedding self-contained, regenerative energy and resource management at the material scale. By complicating the separation of nature and artifact and the hierarchical relationship of humans and technologies, the paradigm of softness contributes to a broader ‘ecology of technology’, offering pathways for sustainable innovation in the face of global ecological challenges. (shrink)

Soft regulation has increased its importance in science and technology governance. Despite such indisputable significance, the literature on technology policy and regulation so far seems to have dedicated only a limited attention to a systematic understanding of the factors affecting compliance with these soft rules. This article addresses this limitation. By way of a literature scoping exercise, we propose a taxonomy of the mechanisms affecting compliance with soft regulation. We subsequently apply the taxonomy as a guide to (...) examine the opinions of a small group of scientists and company managers in the Italian nanotechnology sector. The case study does not assess compliance in a direct way, i.e., observing how organizations comply with regulation, but it explores the opinions on what the factors affecting compliance are. (shrink)

In this modern world, a massive amount of data is processed and broadcasted daily. This includes the use of high energy, massive use of memory space, and increased power use. In a few applications, for example, image processing, signal processing, and possession of data signals, etc., the signals included can be viewed as light in a few spaces. The compressive sensing theory could be an appropriate contender to manage these limitations. “Compressive Sensing theory” preserves extremely helpful while signals are sparse (...) or compressible. It very well may be utilized to recoup light or compressive signals with less estimation than customary strategies. Two issues must be addressed by CS: plan of the estimation framework and advancement of a proficient sparse recovery calculation. The essential intention of this work expects to audit a few ideas and utilizations of compressive sensing and to give an overview of the most significant sparse recovery calculations from every class. The exhibition of acquisition and reconstruction strategies is examined regarding the Compression Ratio, Reconstruction Accuracy, Mean Square Error, and so on. (shrink)

At workplaces where nanomaterials are produced or used, risk assessment and risk management are extremely difficult tasks since there is still limited evidence about the risks of nanomaterials. Measurement methods for nanoparticles are contested and safety standards have not yet been developed properly. To support compliance with the legal obligation of the employer to care for safe workplaces a large number of ‘soft’ regulatory tools have been proposed (e.g. codes of conduct, benchmarks, standards). However, it is not clear (...) whether and under which conditions soft regulation is complied with. This article discusses the potential advantages and drawbacks of soft regulation. It explores compliance issues when exposure measurement devices and other technology-related factors are involved. The exploration of three examples of soft regulation on occupational health and safety (a ministerial recommendation on preliminary exposure benchmarks, a nano-specific guidance of a chemical company and a public–private OHS guideline) shows that the capacity of the regulated parties to comply depends on the availability of appropriate technological devices and methods, technical expertise and other resources. When technological prerequisites are met, compliance is likely to increase. (shrink)

The worlds of academe and capitalism are moving ever closer together as the cultural value attributed to theory by managers increases. This paper documents this process and, at the same time, provides a critique of it. Accordingly, the paper is in three parts. The first part shows how the discursive make‐up of academe and capitalism have become remarkably similar. The second part of the paper then documents the rise of a ‘soft capitalism’ based upon new discourses of management, (...) which, at the same time, provides powerful technology of justification. The final part of the paper shows that the new discourses of management have a hard edge which impoverishes its practices but may also allow the space for other social models to grow. (shrink)

Conflicts of interest in the university context are receiving growing attention, but the focus has been largely on problematic financial COI arising from university-industry relations, which clearly need to be avoided. The result, unfortunately, is a pejorative perception of COI as being equivalent to fraud and thus an issue of academic misconduct. In this paper, the aim is to show that while some financial and non-financial COI are particularly problematic and so should be avoided, many are pervasive and actually the (...) norm in academia even if they are still largely ignored and misunderstood. Through a reflection on my own experiences as a university professor, I describe a diversity of common financial, non-financial and institutional COI of varying degrees of risk, that arise in the day-to-day activities of a professor, in order to then consider how these COI can and should be managed in practice. It is essential to attend to the full range of COI and to think about appropriate policies, procedures, or guidelines to prohibit some COI and mitigate the risks of others; but these “hard” mechanisms are only part of the solution. This paper will focus on elucidating the various “soft” mechanisms – such as education, self-awareness, humility, and dialogue – that can empower professors to manage those COI that cannot be prevented or avoided. (shrink)

Markets, companies and various forms of business organizations may all be usefully viewed through the lens of CAS -- the theory of complex adaptive systems. In this chapter, I address one fundamental issue that confronts both the theoretician and the business manager: the nature and opportunities for control and intervention in complex adaptive regimes. The problem is obvious enough. A complex adaptive system, as we have defined it, is soft assembled and largely self-organizing. This means that it is the (...) emergent product of multiple, and often very heterogeneous, interacting factors and forces, and that the crucial interactions are not controlled and orchestrated by an overseeing executive, detailed program, or any other source of strict hierarchical control. There is thus a pressing problem -- are such systems strictly out of control and beyond the reach of useful governance? I shall argue that they are not. Such systems, though initially unfamiliar, can nonetheless be led, influenced and enabled in a variety of ways.I begin then, by clarifying the nature of the problem. What is it about complex adaptive systems that makes control and intervention so difficult? I then pursue a biological example: the role of genetic factors in influencing mature form. This example yields some lessons that can be applied to business organizations. Section 4 pursues a speculative extension of these lessons, applying them to the task of understanding the role of tagging and explicit models in certain kinds of advanced system. There is a brief conclusion. (shrink)

The results of applying Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) show that the nature of the solution and improvement in the problem situation involves some ambiguity. This is due to SSM’s theoretical inadequacy in extending multiple conceptual models to an agreed-upon human activity system. In fact, one of the most important and controversial issues in soft operations research is to ensure how the solution has been obtained and to secure whether the conditions under which the solution has been obtained were (...) satisfied. This article presents the necessary and sufficient conditions for achieving human activity systems as a solution to one of the widely-used methodologies of soft operations research, i.e. Soft Systems Methodology. Similarly, with the aim of reaching a better understanding of the nature of the solution provided by SSM, the soft solution is compared through an example with that of hard systems methodology. (shrink)

This chapter provides the rationale for applying a systems approach to language pedagogy; presents a case study in which soft systems methodology, a type of soft systems approach, was applied to language curriculum development; and attempts to manage language teaching research from a communicative perspective. In doing so, it argues that language pedagogy is a complex phenomenon in which various factors affect one another in complex ways. By referring to language teaching research that investigates the nature of the (...) factors of language pedagogy, it also argues that due to lack of communication among the research areas in the field, each of the discrete research topics has been discussed individually within the confines of those research areas, often resulting in the so-called silo effect. (shrink)

Understanding stakeholders’ perceptions and motivations is of significant importance in relation to conservation and protected area projects. The importance of stakeholder analysis is widely recognized as a necessary means for gaining insight into the complex systemic interactions between natural processes, management policies, and local people depending on the resource. Today, community and group-based participatory inquiry approaches are widely used for this purpose. Recently, participatory approaches have been critiqued for not considering power relations and conflict internal to the community. In (...) this article, we suggest that the five-step Rapid Stakeholder and Conflict Assessment (RSCA) methodology addresses this critique. The objective of the methodology is to provide a facilitator with a comprehensive foundation on which to plan and conduct subsequent participatory project development. The RSCA integrates elements of soft systems and critical systems thinking. Qualitative research interviews and cognitive mapping of stakeholders’ mental models are used for collection of empirical material and analysis. The RSCA methodology is demonstrated in a case study concerning buffer zone management in the coastal wetlands of southern Vietnam. The case study shows that the RSCA methodology can provide an efficient way of obtaining a holistic and critical understanding of a complex resource management situation, thus potentially enhancing project performance in an instrumental as well as an ethical sense. (shrink)

To achieve effective stakeholder governance in the context of international social accountability certification requires constructing a network of agreement. In a case study of a small-to-medium-sized enterprise, we examine managers’ attempts at enrolling participants in the supply chain to investigate how they strive to engage these stakeholders. We adopt actor-network theory and sensemaking theory to develop a novel approach to understanding social accountability standards’ certification in stakeholder networks. We argue that the design and operation of any SA standard across a (...) network requires not only attempts at enrolling other participants in the supply chain but management contextualizing and problematizing the terms of their involvement. (shrink)

Public administrations, including national government agencies as well as the EU institutions, face not only structural changes, but are increasingly talking about the need to transform management, foster innovation, and share responsibilities. The role of AI is the key composite element of this process. However, not only from the technological point of view. AI also needs the human “perspective”. It is very important to include the so-called soft components (institutional culture, inter-cultural awareness, and organizational needs) to facilitate the (...) mental shift and thus the buy-in. Technological advances in the area of AI inevitably result in further change and this alteration has to be managed. A need to break silo mentality moves organizations towards matrix-based structures with advanced reporting relationships. With the focus on the people side of change and the boundaries of the data-driven decision-making, this study provides insights in the correlations between AI as a tool and change process in public administrations. (shrink)

In the upstream oil and gas industry, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are often used to enhance access to limited resources and improve competitiveness in the global market. However, a major challenge arises in post-acquisition organizational cultural integration, which can impede the success of this process. At PT "X," the acquisition of PT "Y" and PT "Z" highlighted a cultural gap between a company oriented towards familial values and companies with more professional and structured cultures. Although numerous studies have addressed the (...) importance of cultural integration in M&A, few have delved deeply into cases in Indonesia's oil and gas sector. This research employs a qualitative descriptive methodology with a Soft System Methodology (SSM) approach. The findings reveal that cultural differences, particularly in communication styles and work systems, led to tensions and decreased performance. The study further indicates that the lack of cultural assessment in the early stages of the acquisition exacerbated these issues. The research implications underscore the need for a more systematic and planned cultural integration strategy to ensure post-acquisition success. (shrink)

This study aims to explore the educational foreign exchange and cooperation policy conceptual framework in China’s education system from a historical policy retrospective analysis. Since reform and opening-up, China has issued a total of 151 pieces of educational foreign exchange and cooperation policy documents, including the cultural education policy, the technical educational policy, the overseas educational policy, and the foreign student policy. It is suggested that we need to carry out capacity building and improve the quality of education exchanges and (...) cooperation with other countries; expand forms and paths and expand educational exchange and cooperation resources and optimize the project system and support education exchange and cooperation with foreign countries; enhance the strength of education and enhancing the influence of education on foreign exchange and cooperation. In conclusion, we need build a guaranteed system for educational exchange and cooperation with foreign countries. We will gradually lift the authority of foreign exchange and cooperation projects in education by category, promote the reform of qualification identification and management of institutions opening to the outside world in education, and improve the facilitation and speed of the management and service of opening to the outside world in education. (shrink)

This book represents the fourth volume in the series Collected Papers on Advancing Uncertain Combinatorics through Graphization, Hyperization, and Uncertainization: Fuzzy, Neutrosophic, Soft, Rough, and Beyond. This volume specifically delves into the concept of the HyperUncertain Set, building on the foundational advancements introduced in previous volumes. The series aims to explore the ongoing evolution of uncertain combinatorics through innovative methodologies such as graphization, hyperization, and uncertainization. These approaches integrate and extend core concepts from fuzzy, neutrosophic, soft, and rough (...) set theories, providing robust frameworks to model and analyze the inherent complexity of real-world uncertainties. At the heart of this series lies combinatorics and set theory—cornerstones of mathematics that address the study of counting, arrangements, and the relationships between collections under defined rules. Traditionally, combinatorics has excelled in solving problems involving uncertainty, while advancements in set theory have expanded its scope to include powerful constructs like fuzzy and neutrosophic sets. These advanced sets bring new dimensions to uncertainty modeling by capturing not just binary truth but also indeterminacy and falsity. In this fourth volume, the integration of set theory with graph theory takes center stage, culminating in "graphized" structures such as hypergraphs and superhypergraphs. These structures, paired with innovations like Neutrosophic Oversets, Undersets, Offsets, and the Nonstandard Real Set, extend the boundaries of mathematical abstraction. This fusion of combinatorics, graph theory, and uncertain set theory creates a rich foundation for addressing the multidimensional and hierarchical uncertainties prevalent in both theoretical and applied domains. The book is structured into thirteen chapters, each contributing unique perspectives and advancements in the realm of HyperUncertain Sets and their related frameworks. -/- The first chapter (Advancing Traditional Set Theory with Hyperfuzzy, Hyperneutrosophic, and Hyperplithogenic Sets) explores the evolution of classical set theory to better address the complexity and ambiguity of real-world phenomena. By introducing hierarchical structures like hyperstructures and superhyperstructures—created through iterative applications of power sets—it lays the groundwork for more abstract and adaptable mathematical tools. The focus is on extending three foundational frameworks: Fuzzy Sets, Neutrosophic Sets, and Plithogenic Sets into their hyperforms: Hyperfuzzy Sets, Hyperneutrosophic Sets, and Hyperplithogenic Sets. These advanced concepts are applied across diverse fields such as statistics, clustering, evolutionary theory, topology, decision-making, probability, and language theory. The goal is to provide a robust platform for future research in this expanding area of study. The second chapter (Applications and Mathematical Properties of Hyperneutrosophic and SuperHyperneutrosophic Sets) extends the work on Hyperfuzzy, Hyperneutrosophic, and Hyperplithogenic Sets by delving into their advanced applications and mathematical foundations. Building on prior research, it specifically examines Hyperneutrosophic and SuperHyperneutrosophic Sets, exploring their integration into: Neutrosophic Logic, Cognitive Maps,Graph Neural Networks, Classifiers, and Triplet Groups. The chapter also investigates their mathematical properties and applicability in addressing uncertainties and complexities inherent in various domains. These insights aim to inspire innovative uses of hypergeneralized sets in modern theoretical and applied research. The third chapter (New Extensions of Hyperneutrosophic Sets – Bipolar, Pythagorean, Double-Valued, and Interval-Valued Sets) studies advanced variations of Neutrosophic Sets, a mathematical framework defined by three membership functions: truth (T), indeterminacy (I), and falsity (F). By leveraging the concepts of Hyperneutrosophic and SuperHyperneutrosophic Sets, the study extends: Bipolar Neutrosophic Sets, Interval-Valued Neutrosophic Sets, Pythagorean Neutrosophic Sets, and Double-Valued Neutrosophic Sets. These extensions address increasingly complex scenarios, and a brief analysis is provided to explore their potential applications and mathematical underpinnings. Building on prior research, the fourth chapter (Hyperneutrosophic Extensions of Complex, Single-Valued Triangular, Fermatean, and Linguistic Sets) expands on Neutrosophic Set theory by incorporating recent advancements in Hyperneutrosophic and SuperHyperneutrosophic Sets. The study focuses on extending: Complex Neutrosophic Sets, Single-Valued Triangular Neutrosophic Sets, Fermatean Neutrosophic Sets, and Linguistic Neutrosophic Sets. The analysis highlights the mathematical structures of these hyperextensions and explores their connections with existing set-theoretic concepts, offering new insights into managing uncertainty in multidimensional challenges. The fifth chapter (Advanced Extensions of Hyperneutrosophic Sets – Dynamic, Quadripartitioned, Pentapartitioned, Heptapartitioned, and m-Polar) delves deeper into the evolution of Neutrosophic Sets by exploring advanced frameworks designed for even more intricate applications. New extensions include: Dynamic Neutrosophic Sets, Quadripartitioned Neutrosophic Sets, Pentapartitioned Neutrosophic Sets, Heptapartitioned Neutrosophic Sets, and m-Polar Neutrosophic Sets. These developments build upon foundational research and aim to provide robust tools for addressing multidimensional and highly nuanced problems. The sixth chapter (Advanced Extensions of Hyperneutrosophic Sets – Cubic, Trapezoidal, q-Rung Orthopair, Overset, Underset, and Offset) builds upon the Neutrosophic framework, which employs truth (T), indeterminacy (I), and falsity (F) to address uncertainty. Leveraging advancements in Hyperneutrosophic and SuperHyperneutrosophic Sets, the study extends: Cubic Neutrosophic Sets, Trapezoidal Neutrosophic Sets, q-Rung Orthopair Neutrosophic Sets, Neutrosophic Oversets, Neutrosophic Undersets, and Neutrosophic Offsets. The chapter provides a brief analysis of these new set types, exploring their properties and potential applications in solving multidimensional problems. The seventh chapter (Specialized Classes of Hyperneutrosophic Sets – Support, Paraconsistent, and Faillibilist Sets) delves into unique classes of Neutrosophic Sets extended through Hyperneutrosophic and SuperHyperneutrosophic frameworks to tackle advanced theoretical challenges. The study introduces and extends: Support Neutrosophic Sets, Neutrosophic Intuitionistic Sets, Neutrosophic Paraconsistent Sets, Neutrosophic Faillibilist Sets, Neutrosophic Paradoxist and Pseudo-Paradoxist Sets, Neutrosophic Tautological and Nihilist Sets, Neutrosophic Dialetheist Sets, and Neutrosophic Trivialist Sets. These extensions address highly nuanced aspects of uncertainty, further advancing the theoretical foundation of Neutrosophic mathematics. The eight chapter (MultiNeutrosophic Sets and Refined Neutrosophic Sets) focuses on two advanced Neutrosophic frameworks: MultiNeutrosophic Sets, and Refined Neutrosophic Sets. Using Hyperneutrosophic and nn-SuperHyperneutrosophic Sets, these extensions are analyzed in detail, highlighting their adaptability to multidimensional and complex scenarios. Examples and mathematical properties are provided to showcase their practical relevance and theoretical depth. The ninth chapter (Advanced Hyperneutrosophic Set Types – Type-m, Nonstationary, Subset-Valued, and Complex Refined) explores extensions of the Neutrosophic framework, focusing on: Type-m Neutrosophic Sets, Nonstationary Neutrosophic Sets, Subset-Valued Neutrosophic Sets, and Complex Refined Neutrosophic Sets. These extensions utilize the Hyperneutrosophic and SuperHyperneutrosophic frameworks to address advanced challenges in uncertainty management, expanding their mathematical scope and practical applications. The tenth chapter (Hyperfuzzy Hypersoft Sets and Hyperneutrosophic Hypersoft Sets) integrates the principles of Fuzzy, Neutrosophic, and Soft Sets with hyperstructures to introduce: Hyperfuzzy Hypersoft Sets, and Hyperneutrosophic Hypersoft Sets. These frameworks are designed to manage complex uncertainty through hierarchical structures based on power sets, with detailed analysis of their properties and theoretical potential. The eleventh chapter (A Review of SuperFuzzy, SuperNeutrosophic, and SuperPlithogenic Sets) revisits and extends the study of advanced set concepts such as: SuperFuzzy Sets, Super-Intuitionistic Fuzzy Sets,Super-Neutrosophic Sets, and SuperPlithogenic Sets, including their specialized variants like quadripartitioned, pentapartitioned, and heptapartitioned forms. The work serves as a consolidation of existing studies while highlighting potential directions for future research in hierarchical uncertainty modeling. Focusing on decision-making under uncertainty, the tweve chapter (Advanced SuperHypersoft and TreeSoft Sets) introduces six novel concepts: SuperHypersoft Rough Sets,SuperHypersoft Expert Sets, Bipolar SuperHypersoft Sets, TreeSoft Rough Sets, TreeSoft Expert Sets, and Bipolar TreeSoft Sets. Definitions, properties, and potential applications of these frameworks are explored to enhance the flexibility of soft set-based models. The final chapter (Hierarchical Uncertainty in Fuzzy, Neutrosophic, and Plithogenic Sets) provides a comprehensive survey of hierarchical uncertainty frameworks, with a focus on Plithogenic Sets and their advanced extensions: Hyperplithogenic Sets, SuperHyperplithogenic Sets. It examines relationships with other major concepts such as Intuitionistic Fuzzy Sets, Vague Sets, Picture Fuzzy Sets, Hesitant Fuzzy Sets, and multi-partitioned Neutrosophic Sets, consolidating their theoretical interconnections for modeling complex systems. This volume not only reflects the dynamic interplay between theoretical rigor and practical application but also serves as a beacon for future research in uncertainty modeling, offering advanced tools to tackle the intricacies of modern challenges. (shrink)

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) has a significant impact on modern businesses by enhancing productivity, automation, and streamlining of business processes, even accounting. Manufacturers can assure proper functioning and timely client demand using ERP software. Coordination, procurement control, inventory control, and dispatch of commodities are all features of supply chain management.

The precautionary principle in public decision making concerns situations where following an assessment of the available scientific information, there are reasonable grounds for concern for the possibility of adverse effects on the environment or human health, but scientific uncertainty persists. In such cases provisional risk management measures may be adopted, without having to wait until the reality and seriousness of those adverse effects become fully apparent. This is the definition of the precautionary principle as operationalized under EU law. The (...) precautionary principle is a deliberative principle. Its application involves deliberation on a range of normative dimensions which need to be taken into account while making the principle operational in the public policy context. Under EU law, any risk management measures to be adopted while implementing the precautionary principle, have to be proportionate to ensure the chosen high level of protection in the European Community. This articlewill illustrate the established practice concerning the release of genetically modified organisms into the environment and how the principle is implemented under hard law. The article also provides an outlook on what this may imply for the relative new case of nanotechnology and the use of precautionary principle within the context of soft law (use of codes of conduct). (shrink)

By the year 2000, the management of education in England had lost much of its capacity to ensure the commitment of headteachers and teachers. As market forces engendered competition among schools, the bureaucratic monitoring of schools by agencies of government increased on the grounds that objective and comparable data about schools should be made public so that parents could express a rational choice of school. Levels of stress increased; workloads intensified. Thereafter, a series of ‘softer’ approaches emerged in order (...) to deal with this. They have coalesced around the concept of ‘leadership’, particularly distributed leadership and, more recently, emotional leadership and spiritual leadership. Distributed leadership draws on socio-cultural activity theory; emotional leadership is informed by positive psychology; spiritual leadership by eastern mysticism. Each has its advocates and its critics. At issue, however, is not so much their relative effectiveness but rather it is to relate them to the economic, cultural and political trends which have allowed them to emerge. These ‘soft’ normative leadership approaches have not supplanted a digitally-informed rational bureaucratic form in education; they are supplementing it. The theoretical stance taken falls within the field of critical theory. (shrink)

In this chapter, we argue that in order to understand the interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary dialectics in sustainability science, it is useful to see sustainability science as a kind of management science, and then to highlight the hard-soft distinction in systems thinking. First, we argue that the commonly made natural-social science dichotomy is relatively unimportant and unhelpful. We then outline the differences between soft and hard systems thinking as a more relevant and helpful distinction, mainly as a difference (...) between perspectives in systemic modeling toward models. We also illustrate that the distinction is methodologically useful to advance sustainability science by enabling us (i) to suggest novel ways of using existing theoretical, experimental, and computational resources of the sciences for renewable resource management, and (ii) to disentangle disciplinary disagreements in climate science. (shrink)

Main principles of the complex nonlinear thinking which are based on the notions of the modern theory of evolution and self-organization of complex systems called also synergetics are under discussion in this article. The principles are transdisciplinary, holistic, and oriented to a human being. The notions of system complexity, nonlinearity of evolution, creative chaos, space-time definiteness of structure-attractors of evolution, resonant influences, nonlinear and soft management are here of great importance. In this connection, a prominent contribution made to (...) system analysis and to a necessary reform of education and thinking by Edgar Morin is considered. (shrink)

Nanotechnology has revolutionized various industries and has become a notable catalyst for economic growth. The emerging issues of human health and safety associated with nanotechnology development have raised regulatory concerns worldwide. In occupational settings, the same novel characteristics of nanomaterials that are utilized for innovation may also be the source of toxins with adverse health effects for workers. The existing regulatory framework may function effectively to regulate chemical substances in their conventional forms but may not be adequate with regard to (...) the specific issues of nanoform substances. A foundation of knowledge concerning properties of nanomaterials, and risk management approaches for these materials have been established, but conclusive results remain elusive. It is difficult for lawmakers to regulate nanotechnology-related activities effectively if conventional regulatory mechanisms are applied. The present article analyses in a country study the adequacy of existing Malaysian occupational safety and health law with regard to the specific issues presented by nanotechnology. The applicable regulatory approaches are examined to justify the adoption of soft law instruments as regulatory mechanisms for nanotechnology. A number of soft law best practices are briefly discussed as a basis to recommend practical solutions to close the existing regulatory gap. (shrink)

The second volume of “Advancing Uncertain Combinatorics through Graphization, Hyperization, and Uncertainization: Fuzzy, Neutrosophic, Soft, Rough, and Beyond” presents a deep exploration of the progress in uncertain combinatorics through innovative methodologies like graphization, hyperization, and uncertainization. This volume integrates foundational concepts from fuzzy, neutrosophic, soft, and rough set theory, among others, to further advance the field. Combinatorics and set theory, two central pillars of mathematics, focus on counting, arrangement, and the study of collections under defined rules. Combinatorics excels (...) in handling uncertainty, while set theory has evolved with concepts such as fuzzy and neutrosophic sets, which enable the modeling of complex real-world uncertainties by addressing truth, indeterminacy, and falsehood. These advancements, when combined with graph theory, give rise to novel forms of uncertain sets in "graphized" structures, including hypergraphs and superhypergraphs. Innovations such as Neutrosophic Oversets, Undersets, and Offsets, as well as the Nonstandard Real Set, build upon traditional graph concepts, pushing both theoretical and practical boundaries. The synthesis of combinatorics, set theory, and graph theory in this volume provides a robust framework for addressing the complexities and uncertainties inherent in both mathematical and real-world systems, paving the way for future research and application. In the first chapter, “A Review of the Hierarchy of Plithogenic, Neutrosophic, and Fuzzy Graphs: Survey and Applications”, the authors investigate the interrelationships among various graph classes, including Plithogenic graphs, and explore other related structures. Graph theory, a fundamental branch of mathematics, focuses on networks of nodes and edges, studying their paths, structures, and properties. A Fuzzy Graph extends this concept by assigning a membership degree between 0 and 1 to each edge and vertex, representing the level of uncertainty. The Turiyam Neutrosophic Graph is introduced as an extension of both Neutrosophic and Fuzzy Graphs, while Plithogenic graphs offer a potent method for managing uncertainty. The second chapter, “Review of Some Superhypergraph Classes: Directed, Bidirected, Soft, and Rough”, examines advanced graph structures such as directed superhypergraphs, bidirected hypergraphs, soft superhypergraphs, and rough superhypergraphs. Classical graph classes include undirected graphs, where edges lack orientation, and directed graphs, where edges have specific directions. Recent innovations, including bidirected graphs, have sparked ongoing research and significant advancements in the field. Soft Sets and their extension to Soft Graphs provide a flexible framework for managing uncertainty, while Rough Sets and Rough Graphs address uncertainty by using lower and upper approximations to handle imprecise data. Hypergraphs generalize traditional graphs by allowing edges, or hyperedges, to connect more than two vertices. Superhypergraphs further extend this by allowing both vertices and edges to represent subsets, facilitating the modeling of hierarchical and group-based relationships. The third chapter, “Survey of Intersection Graphs, Fuzzy Graphs, and Neutrosophic Graphs”, explores the intersection graph models within the realms of Fuzzy Graphs, Intuitionistic Fuzzy Graphs, Neutrosophic Graphs, Turiyam Neutrosophic Graphs, and Plithogenic Graphs. The chapter highlights their mathematical properties and interrelationships, reflecting the growing number of graph classes being developed in these areas. Intersection graphs, such as Unit Square Graphs, Circle Graphs, and Ray Intersection Graphs, are crucial for understanding complex graph structures in uncertain environments. The fourth chapter, “Fundamental Computational Problems and Algorithms for SuperHyperGraphs”, addresses optimization problems within the SuperHypergraph framework, such as the SuperHypergraph Partition Problem, Reachability, and Minimum Spanning SuperHypertree. The chapter also adapts classical problems like the Traveling Salesman Problem and the Chinese Postman Problem to the SuperHypergraph context, exploring how hypergraphs, which allow hyperedges to connect more than two vertices, can be used to solve complex hierarchical and relational problems. The fifth chapter, “A Short Note on the Basic Graph Construction Algorithm for Plithogenic Graphs”, delves into algorithms designed for Plithogenic Graphs and Intuitionistic Plithogenic Graphs, analyzing their complexity and validity. Plithogenic Graphs model multi-valued attributes by incorporating membership and contradiction functions, offering a nuanced representation of complex relationships. The sixth chapter, “Short Note of Bunch Graph in Fuzzy, Neutrosophic, and Plithogenic Graphs”, generalizes traditional graph theory by representing nodes as groups (bunches) rather than individual entities. This approach enables the modeling of both competition and collaboration within a network. The chapter explores various uncertain models of bunch graphs, including Fuzzy Graphs, Neutrosophic Graphs, Turiyam Neutrosophic Graphs, and Plithogenic Graphs. In the seventh chapter, “A Reconsideration of Advanced Concepts in Neutrosophic Graphs: Smart, Zero Divisor, Layered, Weak, Semi, and Chemical Graphs”, the authors extend several fuzzy graph classes to Neutrosophic graphs and analyze their properties. Neutrosophic Graphs, a generalization of fuzzy graphs, incorporate degrees of truth, indeterminacy, and falsity to model uncertainty more effectively. The eighth chapter, “Short Note of Even-Hole-Graph for Uncertain Graph”, focuses on Even-Hole-Free and Meyniel Graphs analyzed within the frameworks of Fuzzy, Neutrosophic, Turiyam Neutrosophic, and Plithogenic Graphs. The study investigates the structure of these graphs, with an emphasis on their implications for uncertainty modeling. The ninth chapter, “Survey of Planar and Outerplanar Graphs in Fuzzy and Neutrosophic Graphs”, explores planar and outerplanar graphs, as well as apex graphs, within the contexts of fuzzy, neutrosophic, Turiyam Neutrosophic, and plithogenic graphs. The chapter examines how these types of graphs are used to model uncertain parameters and relationships in mathematical and real-world systems. The tenth chapter, “General Plithogenic Soft Rough Graphs and Some Related Graph Classes”, introduces and explores new concepts such as Turiyam Neutrosophic Soft Graphs and General Plithogenic Soft Graphs. The chapter also examines models of uncertain graphs, including Fuzzy, Intuitionistic Fuzzy, Neutrosophic, and Plithogenic Graphs, all designed to handle uncertainty in diverse contexts. The eleventh chapter, “Survey of Trees, Forests, and Paths in Fuzzy and Neutrosophic Graphs”, provides a comprehensive study of Trees, Forests, and Paths within the framework of Fuzzy and Neutrosophic Graphs. This chapter focuses on classifying and analyzing graph structures like trees and paths in uncertain environments, contributing to the ongoing development of graph theory in the context of uncertainty. (shrink)

This book is the sixth volume in the series of Collected Papers on Advancing Uncertain Combinatorics through Graphization, Hyperization, and Uncertainization: Fuzzy, Neutrosophic, Soft, Rough, and Beyond. Building upon the foundational contributions of previous volumes, this edition focuses on the exploration and development of Various New Uncertain Concepts, further enriching the study of uncertainty and complexity through innovative theoretical advancements and practical applications. The volume is meticulously organized into 15 chapters, each presenting unique perspectives and contributions to the field. (...) From theoretical explorations to real-world applications, these chapters provide a cohesive and comprehensive overview of the state of the art in uncertain combinatorics, emphasizing the versatility and power of the newly introduced concepts and methodologies. The first chapter (SuperHypertree-depth – Structural Analysis in SuperHyperGraphs) explores the concept of SuperHypertree-depth, an extension of the classical graph parameter Tree-depth and its hypergraph counterpart Hypertree-depth. By introducing hierarchical nesting within SuperHyperGraphs, where both vertices and edges can represent recursive subsets, this study investigates the mathematical properties and structural implications of these extended parameters. The findings highlight the relationships between SuperHypertree-depth and its traditional graph-theoretic equivalents, providing a deeper understanding of their applicability to hierarchical and complex systems. The second chapter (Obstructions for Hypertree-width and SuperHypertree-width) examines the role of ultrafilters as obstructions in determining Hypertree-width and extends the concept to SuperHypertree-width. Building on hypergraph theory, which abstracts traditional graph frameworks into more complex domains, the study investigates how recursive structures within SuperHyperGraphs redefine the computational and structural properties of these parameters. Ultrafilters, with their broad mathematical significance, serve as critical tools for understanding the limitations and potentials of these advanced graph metrics. The third chapter (SuperHypertree-Length and SuperHypertree-Breadth in SuperHyperGraphs) investigates the extension of the graph-theoretic parameters Tree-length and Tree-breadth to the realms of hypergraphs and SuperHyperGraphs. By leveraging the hierarchical nesting of SuperHyperGraphs, the study explores how these parameters adapt to increasingly complex and multi-level structures. Comparative analyses between these extended parameters and their classical counterparts reveal new insights into their relevance and utility in advanced graph and hypergraph theory. Plithogenic Sets, which generalize Fuzzy and Neutrosophic Sets, are extended in the fourth chapter (Extended HyperPlithogenic Sets and Generalized Plithogenic Graphs) to Extended Plithogenic Sets, HyperPlithogenic Sets, and SuperHyperPlithogenic Sets. This study further investigates their application to graph theory through the concepts of Extended Plithogenic Graphs and Generalized Extended Plithogenic Graphs. The chapter provides a concise exploration of these frameworks, offering insights into their potential for addressing uncertainty and complexity in graph structures. Soft Sets provide an effective framework for decision-making by mapping parameters to subsets of a universal set, addressing uncertainty and vagueness. The fifth chapter (Double-Framed Superhypersoft Set and Double-Framed Treesoft Set) introduces the Double-Framed SuperHypersoft Set and the Double-Framed Treesoft Set as extensions of traditional and advanced soft set frameworks, such as Hypersoft and SuperHypersoft Sets. The chapter explores their relationships with existing concepts, offering new tools to handle complex decision-making scenarios with enhanced structural flexibility. The sixth paper (HyperPlithogenic Cubic Set and SuperHyperPlithogenic Cubic Set) introduces the concepts of the HyperPlithogenic Cubic Set and SuperHyperPlithogenic Cubic Set, which extend the Plithogenic Cubic Set by integrating both interval-valued and single-valued fuzzy memberships. These sets leverage multi-attribute aggregation techniques inherent to plithogenic structures, allowing for nuanced representations of uncertainty. Additionally, related constructs such as the HyperPlithogenic Fuzzy Cubic Set, HyperPlithogenic Intuitionistic Fuzzy Cubic Set, and HyperPlithogenic Neutrosophic Cubic Set are explored, further enriching the theoretical and practical applications of this framework. The seventh chapter (L-Neutrosophic Sets and Nonstationary Neutrosophic Sets) extends the foundational concepts of fuzzy sets by integrating Neutrosophic and Plithogenic frameworks. By introducing L-Neutrosophic Sets and Nonstationary Neutrosophic Sets, the study enhances the representation of uncertainty through independent membership components: truth, indeterminacy, and falsity. These advanced constructs also incorporate multi-dimensional and contradictory attributes, providing a robust means of modeling complex decision-making and uncertain data. Plithogenic and Rough Sets, known for generalizing uncertainty modeling and classification, are extended in the eight chapter (Forest HyperPlithogenic and Forest HyperRough Sets) to Forest HyperPlithogenic Sets, Forest SuperHyperPlithogenic Sets, Forest HyperRough Sets, and Forest SuperHyperRough Sets. These frameworks incorporate hierarchical and recursive structures to advance existing set-theoretic paradigms. The chapter explores their applications in multi-level data analysis and uncertainty classification, demonstrating their adaptability to complex systems. Building on Fuzzy, Neutrosophic, and Plithogenic Sets, the tenth chapter (Symbolic HyperPlithogenic Sets) introduces Symbolic HyperPlithogenic Sets and Symbolic n-SuperHyperPlithogenic Sets. These sets incorporate symbolic components and algebraic coefficients, enabling flexible operations within a defined prevalence order. By extending symbolic representation into hyperplithogenic and superhyperplithogenic domains, the chapter opens new pathways for addressing uncertainty and hierarchical complexity in mathematical modeling. Soft Sets, designed to manage uncertainty and imprecision, have evolved through various extensions like Hypersoft Sets and SuperHypersoft Sets. The eleventh chapter (N-SuperHypersoft and Bijective SuperHypersoft Sets) introduces N-SuperHypersoft Sets, N-Treesoft Sets, Bijective SuperHypersoft Sets, and Bijective Treesoft Sets. These new constructs enhance decision-making frameworks by incorporating advanced hierarchical and bijective relationships, building on existing theories and expanding their applications. Plithogenic Sets, known for integrating multi-valued attributes and contradictions, and Rough Sets, which partition data into definable approximations, are combined in the twelfth chapter (Plithogenic Rough Sets) to form Plithogenic Rough Sets. This fusion provides a powerful framework for addressing uncertainty in dynamic and complex decision-making scenarios, offering a novel approach to uncertainty modeling. Expanding on Neutrosophic Sets, which represent truth, indeterminacy, and falsehood, this chapter introduces Plithogenic Duplets and Plithogenic Triplets. These constructs leverage the Plithogenic framework to incorporate attributes, values, and contradiction measures. The thirteenth chapter (Plithogenic Duplets and Triplets) examines their relationships with Neutrosophic Duplets and Triplets, offering new tools for multi-dimensional data representation and decision-making. Building on foundational concepts like Rough Sets and Vague Sets, the fourteenth chapter (SuperRough and SuperVague Sets) introduces SuperRough Sets and SuperVague Sets. These generalized frameworks extend uncertainty modeling by incorporating hierarchical structures. The study also demonstrates that SuperRough Sets can evolve into SuperHyperRough Sets, providing further generalizations for advanced data classification and analysis. The fifteenth chapter (Neutrosophic TreeSoft Expert and ForestSoft Sets) revisits the Neutrosophic TreeSoft Set, which combines the hierarchical structure of TreeSoft Sets with the Neutrosophic framework for uncertainty representation. Additionally, it introduces the Neutrosophic TreeSoft Expert Set, incorporating expert knowledge into the model. The chapter also explores the ForestSoft Set and its extension, the Neutrosophic ForestSoft Set, to provide multi-level, tree-structured approaches for complex data representation and analysis. (shrink)

The third volume of “Advancing Uncertain Combinatorics through Graphization, Hyperization, and Uncertainization: Fuzzy, Neutrosophic, Soft, Rough, and Beyond” presents an in-depth exploration of the cutting-edge developments in uncertain combinatorics and set theory. This comprehensive collection highlights innovative methodologies such as graphization, hyperization, and uncertainization, which enhance combinatorics by incorporating foundational concepts from fuzzy, neutrosophic, soft, and rough set theories. These advancements open new mathematical horizons, offering novel approaches to managing uncertainty within complex systems. Combinatorics, a discipline focused on (...) counting, arrangement, and structure, often faces challenges when uncertainty is present. Set theory, which underpins combinatorial problems, has evolved to tackle these challenges. The introduction of fuzzy and neutrosophic sets has expanded the toolkit for modeling uncertainty by incorporating elements of truth, indeterminacy, and falsehood into decision-making processes. These innovations seamlessly intersect with graph theory, providing new ways to represent uncertain structures through "graphized" forms such as hypergraphs and superhypergraphs. This volume also introduces advanced concepts like Neutrosophic Oversets, Undersets, and Offsets, which push the boundaries of classical graph theory and offer deeper insights into the mathematical and practical challenges posed by real-world systems. By blending combinatorics, set theory, and graph theory, the authors have created a robust framework for addressing uncertainty in both mathematical systems and their real-world applications. This foundation sets the stage for future breakthroughs in combinatorics, set theory, and related fields. Each chapter in this volume contributes both theoretical foundations and practical applications, demonstrating the power of integrating graph theory, set theory, and uncertainty models. The new ideas, algorithms, and mathematical tools presented here will drive the future of combinatorial research and its applications in uncertain environments. In the first chapter, “Introduction to Upside-Down Logic: Its Deep Relation to Neutrosophic Logic and Applications”, the authors present Upside-Down Logic, a novel logical framework that systematically transforms truths into falsehoods and vice versa, based on contextual shifts. Introduced by F. Smarandache, this paper provides a mathematical definition of Upside-Down Logic, including applications related to the Japanese language. The chapter also introduces Contextual Upside-Down Logic, an extension that adjusts logical connectives alongside flipped truth values, as well as Indeterm-Upside-Down Logic and Certain Upside-Down Logic to address indeterminacy. A simple algorithm is also proposed to demonstrate the computational aspects of this logic. In the second chapter, “Local-Neutrosophic Logic and Local-Neutrosophic Sets: Incorporating Locality with Applications”, the authors introduce Local-Neutrosophic Logic and Local-Neutrosophic Sets, which integrate the concept of locality into Neutrosophic Logic. By defining locality as the influence of immediate surroundings on an object or system, this chapter explores how it affects indeterminacy in real-world problems. The paper also examines potential applications and provides mathematical definitions for these new concepts. The third chapter, “A Review of Fuzzy and Neutrosophic Offsets: Connections to Some Set Concepts and Normalization Function”, extends the concept of offsets in uncertain set-theoretic frameworks, such as Fuzzy Sets, Neutrosophic Sets, and Plithogenic Sets. This chapter introduces several advanced types of offsets, including Nonstationary Fuzzy Offset, Multi-valued Plithogenic Offset, and Subset-valued Neutrosophic Offset, offering deeper insights into handling uncertainty in mathematical models. In the fourth chapter, “Review of Plithogenic Directed, Mixed, Bidirected, and Pangene OffGraph”, the authors build upon Plithogenic Graphs to propose extensions such as Plithogenic Directed OffGraph, Plithogenic BiDirected OffGraph, and Plithogenic Mixed OffGraph. These new concepts, including the Plithogenic Pangene OffGraph, are explored in detail, with a focus on their mathematical properties and potential applications in uncertain graph theory. The fifth chapter, “Short Note on Neutrosophic Closure Matroids”, explores the extension of matroid concepts into Neutrosophic and Turiyam Neutrosophic set theories, introducing Neutrosophic closure matroids. This concept integrates uncertainty, indeterminacy, and liberal states into matroid theory, enhancing its applicability in optimization and combinatorial problems. In the sixth chapter, “Some Graph Parameters for Superhypertree-width and Neutrosophic Tree-width”, the authors discuss graph parameters such as Superhypertree-width and Neutrosophic tree-width. These parameters play a crucial role in the study of graph characteristics, particularly in algorithms and real-world applications. The chapter explores the generalization of hypergraphs to SuperHyperGraphs and examines how these concepts extend tree-width parameters within the context of Neutrosophic logic. (shrink)

Evapotranspiration represents the water requirement of plants during their growing season, and its accurate measurement at the farm is essential for agricultural water planners and managers. Field measurements of evapotranspiration have always been associated with many difficulties that have led researchers to seek a way to remotely measure this component in horticultural and agricultural areas. This study aims to investigate an indirect approach for daily rice crop evapotranspiration measurement by machine learning techniques and the least available climatic variables. For this (...) purpose, daily meteorological variables were obtained from three ground meteorological stations in rice cultivation regions of northern Iran during 2003–2016. The ETc rates were calculated by seven meteorological variables, the FAO-56 Penman-Monteith equation, and the regional calibrated rice crop coefficient and considered as the reference data. The MLs, including Multilayer Perceptron, Radial Basis Function, Generalized Regression Neural Network, and Group Method of Data Handling, were utilized for ETc modeling. Different input combinations were applied, based on the use of minimum effective variables as input. Results showed that the models showed the most accurate performances in the input combination of four climatic variables: sunshine duration, maximum temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed. Investigating the accuracy of models in rice growth phases showed that the least estimation error belonged to the initial growing stage, which increased during the mid-season and late-season growing stages. A comparison of the models showed that the GMDH model performed better against the other competitors. For this model, both the Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient and R2 were greater than 0.98, and the Root Mean Square Error ranged between 0.214 and 0.234 mm per day in all stations. The current approach showed promising results in rice evapotranspiration modeling by only four common meteorological variables and can be reliably applied for indirect measurement of this variable over the rice farms. The studied approach will have research value for rice and other crops in similar/different climatic conditions. (shrink)

Discussion about project management, in both the academic literature and industry, is predominantly based on theories of control, many of which have been developed since the 1950s. However, issues arise when these ideas are applied unilaterally to all types of projects and in all contexts. In complex environments, management problems arise from assuming that results, predicted at the start of a project, can be sufficiently described and delivered as planned. Thus, once a project reaches a critical size, a (...) calendar, and a certain level of ambiguity and interconnection, the analysis centered on control does not function adequately. Projects that involve complex situations can be described as adaptive complex systems, consistent in multiple interdependent dynamic components, multiple feedback processes, nonlinear relations, and management of hard data and soft data. In this study, through a complex network, the dynamic structure of a project and its trajectories are simulated using inference processes. Finally, some numerical simulations are described, leading to a decision making tool that identifies critical processes, thereby obtaining better performance outcomes of projects. (shrink)

Our soft survey reveals that the assumption underlying much of the business ethics literature -- that the conduct of business can and ought to support the social good -- is not accepted within the workplace. This paper considers an apparent dichotomy, with companies investing in ethical programs whose worth their employees and managers question. We examine the relationship between work, bureaucracy and "the market" and conclude that employees often question the existence of business ethics because there is no good (...) and bad between which to choose. The choice is between success and failure. A common view of success and the "good life" is one determined by hard work in a well-organised company operating in a free market. Analysing the three aspects of this view (the free market, hard work, bureaucracy) we suggest these are mere fictions. A major problem we identify in business is that organisations are designed as profit making mechanisms and have no interest in the good of society. The challenge is to convince such organisations that a direct benefit accrues to them through their own ethical behaviour. In order to do this organisations must first be shown the importance of long termism. Executives, managers and other employees can be expected to attain high ethical standards only when they feel they are a integral part of an organisation and the organisation itself respects those standards. One of the keys to unravelling the undesirable situation of a perceived absence of ethics in business is in encouraging a greater identity community, company and workforce. We provide some examples of ways companies can meet the challenge of encouraging more ethical, long-sighted behaviour. In addition, we highlight ways in which the expectations of the organisations of the organisation can be communicated more strongly through corporate structures that foster ethical action that benefits the long term interests of the individual and the organisation. Overall implementing a successful ethical program is shown to parallel that of the implementation of a quality program. (shrink)

Drawing on the cognitive dissonance theory and the behavioral consistency theory, this study examines whether hypocrisy, proxied by the ethical dissonance between corporate philanthropy and environmental misconducts, triggers auditors to issue modified audit opinions (MAOs), and further investigates the moderating effect of hypocrisy on the relation between financial reporting quality (proxied by discretionary accruals) and MAOs. Using a sample of 20,852 firm-year observations from the Chinese stock market over 2005–2019, our findings reveal that the likelihood of receiving MAOs is significantly (...) higher for hypocritical firms than for their counterparts, suggesting that hypocrisy provides negative soft information about top managers' myopia, immorality and lack of integrity, elicits the perceived distrust from auditors, motivates auditors to have a higher extent of professional skepticism, and eventually triggers MAOs. Moreover, hypocrisy reinforces the negative (positive) relation between financial reporting quality (discretionary accruals) and MAOs. Furthermore, above findings are robust to a variety of sensitivity tests using alternative proxies for modified audit opinions and hypocrisy, as well as different sample compositions, and further our conclusions are still valid after using the propensity score matching approach and two-stage treatment effect regression procedures to control for the endogeneity issue. Lastly, the effect of hypocrisy on MAOs is more pronounced for remedial (ex post) hypocrisy than for preventive (ex ante) hypocrisy. (shrink)

Different evocations of “crisis” create distinct categories that in turn evoke certain social reactions. Post-2008, Greece became the epicentre of the “financial crisis”; simultaneously, since 2015 with the advent of the “refugee crisis,” it became the “hotspot of Europe.” What are the different vocabularies of crisis? Moreover, how have both representations of crisis facilitated humanitarian crises to become phenomena for European and transnational institutional management? What are the hegemonically constructed subjects of the different crises? The everyday reality in the (...) crisis-ridden hotspot of Europe is invisible in these representations. It is precisely the daily, soft, lived, and unspoken realities of intersecting crises that hegemonic discourses of successive, overlapping, or “nesting crises” render invisible. By shifting the focus from who belongs to which state-devised category to an open-ended, polyvocal account of capitalist oppressions, we aim to question the state’s and supranational efforts to divide the “migrant mob” into discrete juridical categories of citizens (emigrants), refugees, and illegal immigrants, thereby undermining coalitional struggles between precaritised groups. (shrink)

A topical issue in natural resource management is that of scale, in particular, the organizational entry-point to community-based systems of natural resource management. This study investigated access to woodland resources from the perspective of the relevance of units (traditional villages) enjoying policy attention and the nature of boundaries of resource management units as espoused in academic debates. The relevance of the boundaries was investigated from the perspective of flow of resources across boundaries of the recommended units, and (...) resource use relations among communities residing in contiguous units. The study used questionnaire surveys, informal interviews, and personal observations to explore woodland resource use patterns within and across the villages. People acquired woodland products from both within their own villages and from adjacent ones. Most people extracted resources from within residence villages but varying proportions of the people extracted various products from other villages. In general, members of the ruling clan – those holding exclusively ancestral beliefs, those with traditional main house types – were more likely to acquire resources from neighboring villages. People extracted lighter products like wild fruits, mushrooms, and medicinal herbs from other villages compared to bulkier products like fuel wood, kraal (cattle pens) and fence posts, wall and roof poles, and brushwood. The main reasons why people did not extract woodland products from other villages were availability of the products in their own villages, the long distances to walk to gather the resources from other villages, and, to a small extent, availability of substitutes and exclusion to some products by members of other villages. Overall, people did not deny woodland resource users from other villages access to resources in their own villages, although this applied less so in the case of extraction from areas under ritual designations or extraction for commercialization. The study argues that instead of aspiring for ``hard'' or ``distinct'' boundaries, policy needs to recognize ``diffuse and soft'' product use boundaries as a given, so as to promote resource management formulations/options that are more in phase with the operational contexts. (shrink)

The paper completes a trilogy of papers, under the title: “A Quasi-Personal Alternative to Some Anglo-American Pluralist Models of Organisations: Towards an Analysis of Corporate Self-Governance for Virtuous Organisations”. The first two papers of the three are published in Philosophy of Management, Volumes 10,3 and 11,2. This last paper argues that three dominant Anglo-American organisational theories which see themselves as “business ethics-friendly,” are less so than they seem. It will be argued they present obstacles to collective corporate moral agency. (...) They are: 1) the dominant “soft pluralist” organisational theory of Bolman and Deal, published in 1984 and more recently expressed in Reframing Organisations: Artistry, Choice, and Leadership, 5th edition, 2013, which is based on “reframing,” and which we will call reframing theory (RT); 2) the Business Ethics deployment of Stakeholder Management Theory (SMT) associated with R. Edward Freeman, and several colleagues, dominant in the same period (1984-); and 3) to a much lesser degree, an adapted version of SMT in the Integrated Social Contract Theory (ISCT) of Donaldson and Dunfee (Ties That Bind, Harvard Business School Press (1999)). This paper suggests a return, from RT, SMT, and ISCT, to an older “participative-structuralist” Neo-Aristotelian virtue-ethics based account, based on an analogy between “natural” persons, and organisations as “artificial” persons, with natural persons seen as “flat” architectonically related sets of capacity in complementary relation, and organisations as even flatter architectonic hierarchies of groups of incumbents in roles. This quasi-personal model preserves the possibility of corporate moral agency and some hierarchical and lateral order between leadership groups and other functional roles in the ethical governance of the whole corporation, as a collective moral agent. The quasi-person model would make possible assigning degrees of responsibility and a more coherent interface of Ethics, Organisational Ethics, and Management Theory; the reconfiguring of the place of business in society; an alternate ethico-political basis for Corporate Social Responsibility; and a rethinking of the design of the business corporate form, within the practice and institutions of business, but embedded in a state as representing the community. (shrink)

In Western societies and organizations, episodes of discrimination based on individual demographic and social characteristics still occur. Relevant questions, such as why ethnic discrimination is perpetuated and how people confront it in the workplace, remain open. In this study, we adopt a social-symbolic work perspective to explore how individuals confront workplace ethnic discrimination by both upholding and challenging it. In doing so, we incorporate the perspectives of those directly experiencing, observing and neglecting discrimination. Specifically, we focus on the Italian branches (...) of North American professional service firms (PSFs), performing a qualitative investigation of the worlds of concern among professionals regarding the topic of ethnic discrimination to explore how different backgrounds motivate social-symbolic work. We find that different forms of work are enacted to support the status quo, shape the boundaries of existing organizational practices, and balance professional identities, emotions, and careers to silence episodes of ethnic discrimination. We also highlight cases of ‘soft,’ yet increasing, work that contests the status quo. Finally, we discuss our results in light of neo-institutional and critical management research to ultimately inspire our focal firms and societies to find alternatives to the rhetoric in the established approaches to inequality. (shrink)

A remarkable turnaround by a leader with a remarkable philosophy: Find your noble purpose. Put people at the center. Unleash human magic. "It was Fall in Minnesota. It was getting cold and we were supposed to die." This is how Hubert Joly describes the early, dark days as CEO of Best Buy, a job most thought he was crazy to accept. Amazon was tearing a disruptive path through retail, but in the face of that existential threat Joly did something remarkable: (...) he saved Best Buy and remade it into a thriving company rated as one of the most desirable businesses to work for. Having recently stepped down as Chairman and CEO, Joly is ready to share the leadership principles that underpinned the resurgence of Best Buy and that he believes are at the heart of business: pursue a noble purpose, put people at the center, unleash human magic, and treat profit as an outcome. There was a time when many would call this a soft philosophy. But times are changing. Best Buy and 180 other companies signed the momentous Business Roundtable statement in support of stakeholder capitalism. The Covid-19 pandemic further pushed many businesses to lead from a place of purpose and with humanity. The changes underway are not a revolt, but a revolution. And Joly provides concrete advice on how to implement principles that can serve as beacons for the next era of capitalism. Joly himself was transformed from a hard-charging, deeply analytical McKinsey consultant to a leader who believes in what he calls human magic. He will share how so much of what he initially learned about management is either dated, incomplete, or simply wrong-including how to turn around a business, develop and implement a strategy, mobilize an organization, and what it takes to be a great leader. The leadership principles Joly lays out worked at Best Buy. They can also contribute to the necessary re-foundation of business and capitalism around purpose and humanity. (shrink)

This book answers the question of how soft factors such as corporate cultures and individual and corporate values can be transparently steered. With its C4 management tool and reflecting the seven driving forces of corporate culture, the Values Cockpit is a powerful solution designed to steer all dimensions and processes of a company, pursuing a lean approach. The book links strategic approaches on how to steer a company towards excellence with insights into the driving forces of human thoughts (...) and actions. It subsequently introduces the Values Cockpit, which allows individual corporate cultures to be developed and controlled on the basis of a rational approach. "This intriguing book breaks new ground in suggesting that values can be managed quite as systematically as any other centrally important asset" Rebecca Henderson, John and Natty McArthur Professor, Harvard University "... a deeply articulate, profoundly relevant explication of the role played by the culture of commerce... rich with actionable tools, insights and clear examples..." Richard J Hill IV, Founder, Gabriel Consulting Group, LLC "One seldom sees practical advice on HOW strong values can be automatically practiced on a daily basis by all concerned. That is what makes this remarkable book so refreshing... his book is taking the seminal findings of Jim Collins on building great companies a step further..." Julian Clarke, Chartered Accountant and Management Consultant, European Business Ethics Network Ireland "... a brilliant yet succinct guide to teach the significance of values-development in sustainable business management..." Professor Dr. Haifeng Huang, Assistant Dean, Peking University HSBC Business School, Shenzhen, China "He admirably rejects the fatalist interpretation of the immoral might of markets and replaces it with a counter-narrative of why and how companies can be part of the solution rather than part of the problem." Professor Dr. Claus Dierksmeier, Director of the Global Ethic Institute, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen "The values cockpit gives readers a coherent and comprehensive toolkit to help them prepare their companies for lasting success." Dr. Kurt Schmalz, C.E.O and Managing Partner J. Schmalz GmbH, Glatten, Germany. (shrink)

This book offers an empirical and theoretical account of the mode of governance that characterizes the Bologna Process. In addition, it shows how the reform materializes and is translated in everyday working life among professors and managers in higher education. It examines the so-called Open Method of Coordination as a powerful actor that uses “soft governance” to advance transnational standards in higher education. The book shows how these standards no longer serve as tools for what were once human organizational, (...) national or international, regulators. Instead, the standards have become regulators themselves – the faceless masters of higher education. By exploring this, the book reveals the close connections between the Bologna Process and the EU regarding regulative and monitoring techniques such as standardizations and comparisons, which are carried out through the Open Method of Coordination. It suggests that the Bologna Process works as a subtle means to circumvent the EU’s subsidiarity principle, making it possible to accomplish a European governance of higher education despite the fact that education falls outside EU’s legislative reach. The book’s research interest in translation processes, agency and power relations among policy actors positions it in studies on policy transfer, policy borrowing and globalization. However, different from conventional approaches, this study draws on additional interpretive frameworks such as new materialism. (shrink)

China’s export-led manufacturing model has been built on extensive exploitation of its migrant workforce under a despotic labor regime, but the methods of control have shifted considerably during the past decade and a half. This article examines new modes of domination over Chinese factory workers, based on fieldwork conducted while the author was living with workers at a foreign-invested garment factory in southern China. The article shows how mechanisms to control the workers are embedded today not only in directly coercive (...) practices but also in a new shop floor culture with affective personal ties and implicit bargaining in wage systems. Against the scholarly literature of management controls that emphasizes rupture and discontinuity between labor regimes, this article argues that China’s emerging labor regime, here referred to as “conciliatory despotism,” inherits despotic features of the labor regime exercised in the 1990s but adds new normative measures of soft control that seek to conciliate worker resentments. This hybrid form of management control represents a stage in China’s evolving labor-management relations in which workers possess more implicit power and can push management into greater concessions than previously. (shrink)