Qualitative Uncertainty Research Articles

Applying Futures Studies and the Strategic Choice Approach in Urban Planning

Since the middle 1970s, urban communities in Sweden have been compelled to plan under increasing political, social and economic uncertainties. After a long spell of crisis management, urban planners have come to realize the need to plan with uncertainty. That implies an explicit understanding of the implications of quantitative as well as qualitative uncertainty. Various approaches for this type of planning have been experimented with, in different urban communities. This paper discusses the application of futures studies in the Municipality of Vasteras and of the strategic choice approach in the Municipality of Koping. The aim of the comparative study is to relate the experience in applying the two methodologies and to evaluate the issues as well as contexts to which the two methodologies can be applied.

A qualitative uncertainty principle for unimodular groups of type 𝐼

It has long been known that if f ∈ L 2 ( R n ) f \in {L^2}({{\mathbf {R}}^n}) and the supports of and its Fourier transform f ^ \hat f are bounded then f = 0 f = 0 almost everywhere. More recently it has been shown that the same conclusion can be reached under the weaker condition that the supports of f f and f ^ \hat f have finite measure. These results may be thought of as qualitative uncertainty principles since they limit the "concentration" of the Fourier transform pair ( f , f ^ ) (f,\hat f) . Little is known, however, of analogous results for functions on locally compact groups. A qualitative uncertainty principle is proved here for unimodular groups of type I.

Qualitative/Quantitative Models Description Language

Abstract The aim of this research is to built a language for quantitative/qualitative representation in expert supervisory process control. The specification of such a language led to the definition of ALCMEN (Automaticians Language for Causal Modelisation of Expert kNowledge). Its purpose is to represent in a qualitative way imprecision and uncertainty, as well as classical numerical equations, in order to solve the communication problem between process experts and control engineers; it appears as a network of interconnected blocks and a list of structured variables. Two principal choices characterize the structure of ALCMEN: 1) A causal network is the underlying structure of any model represented using ALCMEN. 2) Qualitative variables have as semantic reference subsets of quantitative spaces connected to the physical variables: i.e. absolute referenced magnitudes, not relative order of magnitude. A first approach for the mixed (qualitative/quantitative) Knowledge representation has been programmed using the Real Time Expert system development tool G2. It has been applied to the modelization of a discontinuous process in the framework of the Esprit project IPCES (Intelligent Process Control by means of Expert Systems). The definition of qualitative operations as well as the organization of the different workspaces will be described on this example.

A Qualitative Uncertainty Principle for Certain Locally Compact Groups

A Qualitative Uncertainty Principle for Certain Locally Compact Groups

Qualitative Uncertainty in a Market with Bilateral Trading

Bargaining between a single seller and a succession of potential buyers of an indivisible object is studied in this paper. The seller bargains with one buyer at a time and switching buyers is costly. The seller does not know the buyers' reservation prices and buyers cannot observe the quality of the object. If the costs of switching buyers are high, there exists a signalling equilibrium in which the seller's price offer reveals the quality of the object. If the costs of switching are low, adverse selection occurs and the high-quality seller drops out of the market.

A qualitative uncertainty principle for semisimple Lie groups

AbstractRecently M. Benedicks showed that if a function f ∈ L2(Rd) and its Fourier transform both have supports of finite measure, then f = 0 almot everywhere. In this paper we give a version of this result for all noncompact semisimple connected Lie groups with finite centres.

Human specifics, fuzzy categories and counteraction in decision making problems

The paper discusses model notions for decision making procedures in a communicative system and qualitative uncertainties in the description thereof and of counteraction, human specifics (particularly the impact of functional asymmetry of human brain, of the state of fatigue, etc.) in these procedures, modes for formalizing fuzzy categories, as well as the mathematical mechanism used in such models. Specific applications to organizational systems are cited.

A model for the relation between respiratory neural and mechanical outputs. II. Methods.

In the preceding communication we developed a model for the conversion of neural output to mechanical output. We were left with two qualitative uncertainties, namely, the relation between neural output and isometric pressure, and the behavior of inspiratory muscles during expiratory flow; and two quantitative uncertainties concerning the effect of configurational pathway on pressure output, and the slope of the pressure-flow relation. For each of the above uncertainties we made certain assumptions based on indirect evidence but defined reasonable error limits. In the present communication we describe the method of implementing the model and evaluate the significance, in terms of spirometric output, of possible errors in the assumptions. Volume and flow profiles were generated from different neural output profiles. Analysis was repeated when the different assumptions were systematically altered within the limits set by the previous theoretical analysis. We conclude that the pattern of inspiratory muscle activation during spontaneous breathing and the existence of several mechanical interactions within the respiratory system combine to render spirometric output fairly insensitive to most potential errors in our assumptions.

The sales response to advertising: A reconsideration

AbstractThe paper surveys briefly the literature on the shape of the sales‐advertising response relationship. Knowledge of this relationship is an important requirement for optimal marketing decisions. The role of theory is to specify the structure of models for testing. The paper presents a plausible model of this relationship based upon the consumer's response to advertising when qualitative uncertainty exists in a market. The relationship is seen to contain a ‘catastrophe change’ or discontinuity when certain assumptions are made about optimizing behaviour. The implications for marketing strategy and optimal levels of promotional outlays are discussed.

The carbon cycle: Sources and sinks of atmospheric CO2

In this contribution we try to give a synopsis of the more important processes within the global C cycle. Special attention is paid to the mechanisms by which atmospheric CO2 is interchanged between the biosphere and the oceans, and existing qualitative and quantitative uncertainties are pointed out.

A Note on "Lemons" Markets with Quality Certification

In markets with qualitative uncertainty, pricing on the basis of average quality will be unattractive to participants whose products are above average in quality. This note examines the possibility of quality certification as an alternative to exit from the market in such situations. Examples dealing with labor market uncertainties illustrate the economic properties of the quality certification process, which unravels from the top down. The economic motivations and patterns of this form of price discrimination are similar to those encountered in standard lemons models.

Anomalous photodepolarisation in plastic insulators

The mechanism of charge generation and charge transport is not well understood in high polymers. This leads to qualitative uncertainties in the interpretation of thermally stimulated currents in these materials. In order to clarify the situation, we have undertaken experiments using optical detrapping (photon stimulated currents, PSC) in polyethylene terepthalate (PET) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE). To make the evaluation as straightforward as possible, we have chosen to study depolarisation currents in short circuit. The measurement configuration is such that external photocurrents can be ignored. We find that there is little connection between the dark depolarisation current and the optically stimulated current, in agreement with previous work. At room temperature, we see evidence that long U.V. wavelengths (λ > 315 nm) cause a reduction in the trapped charge density. Illumination at shorter wavelenghts results in carrier generation and trapping which can, under appropriate conditions, give rise to a sign reversal (and, hence, anomalous behaviour) in subsequent longer wavelength depolarisations. The effects observed do not seem to be due to the thermal expansion of the sample. While the full range of response as a function of temperature and wavelenghts remains to be studied, it is already clear that the anomalous behaviour arises from injection from the electrodes (at the longer wavelenght) and the effects of bulk generation (or possibly photoinjection of carriers of the opposite sign) at the shorter wavelengths. The spectral ranges of these processes overlap, and competition occurs in the region where they are both operative. We shall give a tentative model to account for our results.