Search

"Stress at work may be unhealthy but is also necessary, at some level, in order to be alert when required how to find the right balance can differ according to the context and situation. This makes stress a typical topic for Product Service System design where designers look for a balance between control over the outcome of their work, and flexibility in accommodating a multitude of changing circumstances and contexts. Such designs follow certain principles and are based on models, but have many different (and sometimes unforeseen) outcomes and results. The service model presented in this book is a prime example."--www.amazon.com.

How can we measure subjective experiences or internal states? The rise of happiness as a variable of interest in policy decisions, for instance, necessitates appropriate methods for valid and practical measurements. This self-experimental work contributes to scientific development by analysing and evaluating three methods for recording stress: the Experience Sampling Method (ESM) with a smartphone, an adapted version of the Day Reconstruction Method (DRM, a diary method) and an ubiquitous biophysical measure of the heart rate. All three methods yield significant treatment effects for eight “natural experiments” as stressors. Surprisingly, the DRM outperforms the other two methods in a simple factor analysis and appears to have no recall bias. Also reactivity has no substantial impact and an applied researcher should minimise the complexity of the input (amount and type of questions, interface, integration) rather than reduce the number of prompts. Some evidence suggests a Likert-type scale should be preferred over a continuous one. This work also reflects upon the nature of single-subject research and the role of the experimenter.

Direct injection spark-ignition engines are becoming increasingly important, and their potential is still to be fully exploited. Increased power and torque coupled with further reductions in fuel consumption and emissions will be the clear trend for future developments. From today’s perspective, the key technologies driving this development will be new fuel injection and combustion processes. The book presents the latest developments, illustrates and evaluates engine concepts such as downsizing and describes the requirements that have to be met by materials and operating fluids. The outlook at the end of the book discusses whether future spark-ignition engines will achieve the same level as diesel engines.

Im Mittelpunkt von Politika 14 steht die Analyse der Landtagswahlen im Oktober und der Parlamentswahlen im Februar 2013. Die Landtagswahlen in Südtirol (Hermann Atz/Günther Pallaver) werden mit jenen in Tirol (Ferdinand Karlhofer), Bayern (Claudius Wagemann) und im Trentino (Marco Brunazzo) verglichen. Weitere Themenfelder betreffen die Vorwahlen, den Einsatz der Medien im Wahlkampf (Plakate, Printmedien, Neue Medien) sowie eine Milieustudie. Es folgen Abhandlungen zur politischen Bildung, zu politischen Persönlichkeiten und Rezensionen.