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Expectation of floating building in Java Indonesia, case study in Semarang City

Many delta cities worldwide are dealing with the same kind of problems: rising of the sea level, land subsidence, scarcity of land and illegal housing. Multiple land use is one of these solutions that will help to reduce flooding and scarcity of land. An example of multiple land use is a floating community. This research used Semarang as location for the research into the social acceptance of floating houses. The data in this study were obtained through literature study and survey among inhabitants. The social acceptance of the inhabitants is determined with 35 respondents that have been done in the area of Kemijen, Semarang. In order to determine the social acceptance of floating houses, there are elements used, namely: knowledge of floating houses, perception of risk, urgency, implementation, chose for a floating house, requirements, positive and negative elements, self-sufficient system. According to the result of research, the social acceptance of the inhabitants is quite low, but there is potential because they see positive elements in a floating house. Low social acceptance is caused by the fact that the concept of floating houses are not well known in this community. With raising awareness on the challenges and informing the community on the possibilities on floating infrastructure will result in higher social acceptance.

Constructing a better contemporary ...

Europeans live their lives at a time when certain collective expectations of how the world should function no longer seem to describe their experience of what actually happens. This bifurcation of experience and expectation is causing some severe symptoms of dislocation. Truth turns relative and his- tory seems in need of radical revision. Even time itself seems topsy-turvy, in a way that some Messianic beliefs find very much to their taste. This is the hallmark of the contemporary moment and why, this essay will argue, that in lieu of any other generalising term, we need to make the most use of ‘contemporary’ and ‘contemporaneity’ for emancipatory purposes.

Strategic Alignment and Financial Performance Indicators

From the article: "After 1993, the concept of strategic alignment is evaluated from the connection between IT and business to much broader definitions in which the connection between all business functions, horizontally and vertically, and later also with projects and stakeholders is mentioned. To achieve stategic alignment there must be a coordination between the strategy of organizations and those who contribute to the implementation of the strategy and the actual performance of an organization. This process is called Human Oriented Performance Management (HOPM). The HOPM model consists of four dimensions: strategy translation, information and visualization, dialogue and action orientation, and continues improvement and organizational learning. To measure the effect of strategic alignment a range of financial performance indicators are used. Based on a literature review this paper explores which financial performance indicators could be used to measure the effect of HOPM. The literature was selected over a period from 1996 – 2015. The research is not only focused on the top of the strategy map, but also on the cause-effect relationships in the strategy map. The underlying performance indicators in the strategy map can show on which figures the dialogue in the HOPM model about strategy implementation must be based. This dialogue is the input to action in which strategic alignment comes about. The goal of the research is to optimize this dialogue by looking for performance indicators that can show the effect of HOPM" The article is used for the course: 'corporate policy' minor MSMM (Masterclass Strategic Marketing Management).

Solar Miles eindrapport inhoud

Lessons from the first implemented CBDC: the Sand dollar

In recent years, the debate about the design of the monetary system has become increasingly prevalent. A major topic within this debate is central bank digital currency or CBDC for short. A survey by the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) shows that in 2022, nine in ten central banks (CB) explored a digital variant of their own currency (Kosse & Mattei, 2022). In the euro area, the European Central Bank (ECB) is conducting a wide-range study of the pros and cons of a CBDC, in the form of a digital euro. Other CBs are at different stages of the research cycle. The Chinese central bank is experimenting extensively with its e-CNY and has been conducting research since 2014 (Luo, 2022; Prasad, 2021). The Swedish Riksbank published its first report on the possible designs and effects of the e-krona in September 2017 (Sveriges Riksbank, 2017). Against all these various studies and experiments is the Bahamian Sand dollar, the world's first, by 2020, fully implemented CBDC. The Bahamas is not the only country; in 2022, Jamaica fully introduced the JAM-DEX (CBDC Tracker, 2023). Since CBDCs are a relatively new phenomenon, there is logically little empirical data to support the potential advantages and disadvantages. The fully implemented Sand dollar can confirm or refute some of the claimed theoretical advantages and disadvantages, and lessons can be distilled from this case for the introduction of other CBDCs. This paper first discusses the (theoretical) motivations for implementing the Sand dollar, then discusses its operation and current low adaptation rates. Finally, it derives lessons that can be used in other CBDC cases.

Effect of nocturnal sound reduction on the incidence of delirium in intensive care unit patients

INTRODUCTION: Delirium in critically-ill patients is a common multifactorial disorder that is associated with various negative outcomes. It is assumed that sleep disturbances can result in an increased risk of delirium. This study hypothesized that implementing a protocol that reduces overall nocturnal sound levels improves quality of sleep and reduces the incidence of delirium in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients.METHODS: This interrupted time series study was performed in an adult mixed medical and surgical 24-bed ICU. A pre-intervention group of 211 patients was compared with a post-intervention group of 210 patients after implementation of a nocturnal sound-reduction protocol. Primary outcome measures were incidence of delirium, measured by the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist (ICDSC) and quality of sleep, measured by the Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire (RCSQ). Secondary outcome measures were use of sleep-inducing medication, delirium treatment medication, and patient-perceived nocturnal noise.RESULTS: A significant difference in slope in the percentage of delirium was observed between the pre- and post-intervention periods (-3.7% per time period, p=0.02). Quality of sleep was unaffected (0.3 per time period, p=0.85). The post-intervention group used significantly less sleep-inducing medication (p<0.001). Nocturnal noise rating improved after intervention (median: 65, IQR: 50-80 versus 70, IQR: 60-80, p=0.02).CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of delirium in ICU patients was significantly reduced after implementation of a nocturnal sound-reduction protocol. However, reported sleep quality did not improve.