Public transport brings undisputed benefits to modern-day societies. Aside from providing an affordable means to get around, its supreme efficiency in comparison with private transport plays a crucial role in curbing congestion and pollution, highlighting the importance of adequate design and operation of public transport systems. The first part of this thesis seeks to improve the planning process of public transport operators by integrating planning steps that are traditionally performed sequentially. The first study considers a combination of line planning and vehicle scheduling, and presents methods that estimate how many vehicles are required to operate a line plan, without having to compute a timetable. The second study combines timetabling and vehicle scheduling, and develops a novel optimization model for jointly optimizing a periodic timetable and vehicle circulation schedule. The second part of this thesis investigates decentralized strategies for operating public transport, with a focus on railway systems. Such strategies could be preferable over conventional centralized and schedule-based control in various scenarios. The first study in this part presents a theoretical analysis of a simple, decentralized strategy for dispatching vehicles. The second study considers the application of decentralized control to out-of-control situations in railways, which includes the development of a solution algorithm to find line plans that are suited for these circumstances. The final study in this thesis tests decentralized dispatching of both vehicles and crew in a microscopic railway simulation.

Peer-to-peer systems are evolving with new information-system architectures, leading to the idea that the principles of decentralization and self-organization will offer new approaches in informatics, especially for systems that scale with the number of users or for which central authorities do not prevail. This book describes a new way of building

This book uses historical analysis, constitutional economics, and complexity theory to furnish an account of city subsidiarity as a legal, ethical, political, and economic principle. The book contemplates subsidiarity as a constitutional principle, where cities would benefit from much wider local autonomy. Constitutional economics suggests an optimal limit to jurisdictional footprints (territories). This entails preference for political orders where sovereignty is shared between different cities rather states where capital cities dominate. The introduction of city subsidiarity as a constitutional principle holds the key to economic prosperity in a globalizing world. Moreover, insights from complexity theory suggest subsidiarity is the only effective response to the ‘problem of scale.’ It is a fitness trait that prevents highly complex systems from collapsing. The nation-state is a highly complex system within which cities function as ‘attractors.’ The collapse of such systems would ensue if there were strong coupling between attractors. Such coupling obtains under legal monism. Only subsidiarity can make the eventuality of collapse improbable. The emergent and self-organizing properties of subsidiarity entail a shift in policy emphasis towards cities with a wide margin of autonomy.

This book reports on research on innovative human systems integration and human-machine interaction, with an emphasis on artificial intelligence and automation, as well as computational modeling and simulation. It covers a wide range of applications in the area of design, construction and operation of products, systems and services, including lifecycle development and human-technology interaction. The book describes advanced methodologies and tools for evaluating and improving interface usability, new models, as well as case studies and best practices in virtual, augmented and mixed reality systems, with a special focus on dynamic environments. It also discusses different factors concerning the human, hardware, and artificial intelligence software. Based on the proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Intelligent Human Systems Integration (IHSI 2018), held on January 7-9, 2018, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the book also examines the forces that are currently shaping the nature of computing and cognitive systems, such as the need for decreasing hardware costs; the importance of infusing intelligence and automation, and the related trend toward hardware miniaturization and power reduction; the necessity for a better assimilation of computation in the environment; and the social concerns regarding access to computers and systems for people with special needs. It offers a timely survey and a practice-oriented reference guide to policy- and decision-makers, human factors engineers, systems developers and users alike.

Chapter 10: Emerging: organizational learning and development -- Introduction: grounding individual, enterprise and societal renewal -- MedLabs: an unfolding enterprise story, by Manar Al Nimer -- MedLabs as a developing organization -- Conclusion: pioneering, differentiation and integration -- References -- Chapter 11: Effecting: embodying inter-institutional genealogy -- Introduction: institutionalize development -- Start CSAL with nature and community -- Local-global museum as sanctuary -- Towards a research academy -- Genealogical laboratory -- Conclusion: nature reserve, museum, university, laboratory -- References -- Chapter 12: Navigating: integral society -- Introduction: European Community -- The identity of Slovenia: European sanctuary -- Social science and technology: an emerging research university -- Conclusion: towards an integral economic laboratory -- References -- Epilogue: CARE-ful self-assessment -- ReLational Communal activation GENE -- ReLational Awakening of integral consciousness GENE -- ReLationally innovation driven institutionalized Research GENE -- ReLational Embodiment of integral development GENE -- ReNewing Communal activation GENE -- ReNewed Awakening of integral consciousness GENE -- ReNewed Embodiment of integral development GENE -- ReNewed innovation driven institutionalized Research GENE -- ReaSoned realization of Communal activation GENE -- ReaSoned realization of Awakened integral consciousness GENE -- ReaSoned realization of Innovation driven Research GENE -- ReaSoned Embodiment of integral development GENE -- Index

This book offers a comprehensive reference guide for the theory and practice of intelligent and fuzzy techniques in Aviation 4.0. It provides readers with the necessary intelligent and fuzzy tools for Aviation 4.0 when incomplete, vague, and imprecise information or insufficient data exist in hand, where classical modeling approaches cannot be applied. The respective chapters, written by prominent researchers, explain a wealth of both basic and advanced concepts including baggage services, catering services, check-in and boarding services, maintenance and cargo management, security, etc. To foster reader comprehension, all chapters include relevant numerical examples or case studies. Taken together, they form an excellent reference guide for researchers, lecturers, and postgraduate students pursuing research on Aviation 4.0. Moreover, by extending all the main aspects of Aviation 4.0 to its intelligent and fuzzy counterparts, the book presents a dynamic snapshot of the field that is expected to stimulate new directions, ideas, and developments.

This book systematically analyzes the applicability of big data analytics and Industry 4.0 from the perspective of semiconductor manufacturing management. It reports in real examples and presents case studies as supporting evidence. In recent years, technologies of big data analytics and Industry 4.0 have been frequently applied to the management of semiconductor manufacturing. However, related research results are mostly scattered in various journal issues or conference proceedings, and there is an urgent need for a systematic integration of these results. In addition, many related discussions have placed too much emphasis on the theoretical framework of information systems rather than on the needs of semiconductor manufacturing management. This book addresses these issues.

There are numerous determinants that drive and influence economic efficiency in contemporary nations. Critical insights can be gained from developing analytical models to understand the economies of the world. Ranking Economic Performance and Efficiency in the Global Market: Emerging Research and Opportunities is an innovative source of scholarly information that discusses world rankings of modern national economies. Including a range of topics such as geopolitics, sovereignty, and jurisdictional considerations, this book is ideally designed for academics, researchers, professionals, and students interested in the relevant knowledge that can be extracted from the determinants of economic efficiency.