Books published by Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This book offers the first, full academic analysis of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup. Adopting an international relations perspective, the authors critically interrogate the politics and controversy that has surrounded arguably the most controversial sports event ever. In doing so, this text offers up an imperative examination of Qatar¿s desired objectives through their investment in global sport and sports events, as well as provides readers with an academic explanation on why major event hosts ¿ such as Qatar ¿ receive so much international scrutiny in the pre-event stage of the event hosting process. On the back of this international scrutiny, this text also provides the first full analysis on how such negative scrutiny has forced Qatar to implement various social-political changes at home.

This book explores the nature of money and banking throughout their history, and applies this to the study of financial crises. The first part of the book covers the evolution of monetary arrangements, money creation and the business of banking since their earliest manifestations to the present day, showing how changes in the business of banking led to a transformation in the money we use. The second part of the book applies the understanding acquired during the first part to the study of financial crises, showing that money is taken out of circulation when bank loans are paid back. This key insight is at the core of the mechanism that explains financial crises, since an economy that sees its money supply diminish is also an economy that cannot generate enough demand for its own goods and services. Financial crises result when bank lending slows down or comes to a halt ¿ while outstanding bank loans are still due for repayment. The mechanism is discussed in detail, and the crucial role of banks highlighted. Adequate policy measures to prevent crises, or to mitigate their effects, are then put forward in light of this mechanism. The book will be of interest to researchers and students of economic and financial history, as well as those working in finance, banking and economics more widely.

This book explores the representation of London¿s nightlife in popular films and newspapers of the interwar period. Through a series of case-studies, it analyses how British popular media in the 1920s and 1930s displayed the capital after dark. It argues that newspapers and films were part of a common culture, which capitalized on the transgressive possibilities of the night. At the same time both media ensured that those in authority, such as the police, were always shown to ultimately be in control of the night. The first chapter of the book provides an overview of the British film and newspaper industries in the interwar period. Subsequent chapters each explore a specific aspect of London¿s nightlife. In turn, these chapters consider how films and newspapers of the interwar period depicted women navigating the street at night; the Metropolitan Police¿s involvement in nightlife; and the capital¿s newly built and expanded suburbs and public transport network. Finally, the book considers how newspapers and films depicted themselves and one another.

This book demonstrates the significance of domain-specific conceptual modeling through new research and development approaches that are manifested in each of the chapters. They include novel modelling methods and tools that emphasize the recent results accomplished and their adequacy to assess specific aspects of a domain.Each chapter offers detailed instructions on how to build models in a particular domain, such as product-service engineering, enterprise engineering, digital business ecosystems, and enterprise modelling and capability management. All chapters are enriched with case studies, related information, and tool implementations. The tools are based on the ADOxx metamodelling platform and are provided free of charge via OMiLAB. Furthermore, the book emphasizes possible future developments and potential research directions.The collection of works presented here will benefit experts and practitioners from academia and industry alike, including members of the conceptual modeling community as well as lecturers and students.

This book reviews and presents a number of approaches to Fuzzy-based system safety and reliability assessment. For each proposed approach, it provides case studies demonstrating their applicability, which will enable readers to implement them into their own risk analysis process.The book begins by giving a review of using linguistic terms in system safety and reliability analysis methods and their extension by fuzzy sets. It then progresses in a logical fashion, dedicating a chapter to each approach, including the 2-tuple fuzzy-based linguistic term set approach, fuzzy bow-tie analysis, optimizing the allocation of risk control measures using fuzzy MCDM approach, fuzzy sets theory and human reliability, and emergency decision making fuzzy-expert aided disaster management system.This book will be of interest to professionals and researchers working in the field of system safety and reliability, as well as postgraduate and undergraduate students studying applications of fuzzy systems.

Global industrial growth has resulted in numerous pollutants being introduced into the environment. It has additionally caused decreased water availability for agricultural activity in developing countries, which, in turn, has compelled farmers to use wastewater irrigation. In advanced agricultural systems, farmers are adapting various strategies to achieve a higher yield and thus sustain crop productivity. Consequent to the introduction of contaminants in the environment, soil pollutants have become a critical issue. Selection of disease-resistant, high-yielding crop varieties, and extensive fertilizer applications are quite common among farming communities. This book provides insight into environmental pollutants with special reference to their interference with plant nutrition. It additionally discusses the physiological aspects of plant nutrition. This book enhances current knowledge of the effects of pollutants on plant growth and physiology.

This book deals with important issues related to urban housing in South Asia. It analyses various aspects of housing, including spatial and temporal requirements and needs, as well as the challenges of implementing housing projects, such as financial feasibility of estate development projects and housing design. Finally, it discusses the socio-economic and environmental impacts of the rapid urban housing development in South Asia. Written by experts from various disciplines, the book presents several case studies that address issues such as housing provision; legislative, financial and technical support; access to employment opportunities and markets; the cumulative impact on gentrification; exclusion and spatial equity; and the economic, social and environmental sustainability of urban tissue. Researchers, housing planners, and policy makers will find this book a valuable resource in meeting the demand for affordable and sustainable housing and overcoming housing shortages in developing countries

This volume presents an interdisciplinary reflection on the SARS-COV-2 pandemic and its consequences elaborated in real-time. It embodies the University of Palermös values and mission by bringing together academics of very diverse disciplinary fields on an issue that is disrupting all aspects of individual and community existence. This volume captures the voices of academics during the pandemic, allowing to crystallize the discourses that are emerging in a wide variety of scientific fields as events unfold and knowledge is rapidly evolving. They share the belief that to shed adequate light on the complex and multifaceted phenomenon of the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences necessarily requires the adoption of an interdisciplinary approach, the consideration of a multiplicity of perspectives, and of a variety of levels of analysis. The organization of the single contributions in chapters allows the exchange of different perspectives, whilst conveying a general overall framework to the interpretation of the many facets of the changes and crisis generated by COVID-19.The volume addresses both academics and professionals dealing with the processes and the consequences brought forth by the pandemic and presents a solid example of the commitment an academic institution should devote to society and communities.

This book describes how the implementation of variable rate launching in the context of a mixed-model assembly line with unlimited customization flexibility promotes customer-centric production.Variable rate launching (VRL) ¿ as opposed to fixed rate launching (FRL) ¿ eliminates idle time and utility work in mixed-model assembly lines. Even in the context of limitless customization, which runs the risk of concentrated peak workloads and possible longer assembly lines, a variable takt proves to be more economical than a fixed takt. On the technical side, a fixed takt requires both a healthy balance of process times and optimal scheduling to create feasible production schedules, as using average takt does not allow workers enough time to complete their tasks for more complex products. Because the variable takt relies on similar process times for a given product across the entire line for one product, and all products are given exactly the time they need for assembly, optimal series-sequencing and regular task rescheduling can be eliminated.This book is intended as a reference guide for experienced executives in manufacturing and academics teaching operational effectiveness for customer-centric production, and makes extensive references to AGCO Fendt¿s modern tractor line in Marktoberdorf, Germany. The book also offers application case studies from companies in related industries such as automotive, electronics, and machine tools. The book¿s key message is that variation should not be universally eliminated from manufacturing. As such, the book represents a counterpoint to the philosophy advocated by the Toyota Production System.

This book highlights the contribution of artificial intelligence for mathematics education. It provides concrete ideas supported by mathematical work obtained through dynamic international collaboration, and discusses the flourishing of new mathematics in the contemporary world from a sustainable development perspective. Over the past thirty years, artificial intelligence has gradually infiltrated all facets of society. When it is deployed in interaction with the human designer or user, AI certainly raises new ethical questions. But as soon as it aims to augment intelligence in a kind of human-machine partnership, it goes to the heart of knowledge development and the very performance of work. The proposed themes and the sections of the book address original issues relating to the creation of AI milieus to work on mathematics, to the AI-supported learning of mathematics and to the coordination of « usual » paper/pencil techniques and « new » AI-aided educational working spaces. The authors of the book and the coordinators of each section are all established specialists in mathematics didactics, mathematics and computer science. In summary, this book is a must-read for everyone interested in the teaching and learning of mathematics, and it concerns the interaction between the human and the machine in both directions. It contains ideas, questions and inspiration that invite to take up the challenge of Artificial Intelligence contributing to Mathematical Human Learning.

In recent years, decision-makers from all sectors have been using 'resilience' as a keyword for managing societal turbulences. But what is resilience? How can we benefit from integrating digital transformation and resilience? In this book, some of the world's leading experts on resilience explore the issue and discuss possible answers to these questions. The editors of this book believe that resilience is the master key for the future. However, they also remind us that people are at the base of any process of resilience and, only by placing people at the center of transformation, can we aspire to have resilient organizations and a resilient society.

The COVID-19 pandemic has permanently changed lives around the world and no dimension of life and leadership seems to have been spared from its wrath. It has also stirred us into thinking about novel approaches to lead organizations and societies toward a shared, sustainable future. This book offers novel perspectives on leadership and change management after the COVID-19 pandemic that take us beyond striving for thriving¿perspectives that are grounded in emergent theory, research and practice. It highlights sustainable leadership and change management strategies to effectively deal with unpredictable and rapidly changing situations¿particularly in a world that is increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA). This book also highlights engaging perspectives by specialists from different disciplines such as business, psychology, education, and health care. It serves as a practical guide in identifying and responding to leadership challenges and opportunities in eachof the four VUCA categories of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity¿and how they affect businesses, organizations, and societies as a whole.

Of the world¿s seven continents, Asia is the largest. Its physical landscapes, political units, and ethnic groups are both wide-ranging and many. Southwest, South and Middle Asia are highly populated regions which, as a whole, cover an extremely large area of varied geography. In total, this domain is unique in its plant diversity and large vegetation zones with different communities and biomes. It is rich in endemics, with specific and intraspecific diversity of fruit trees and medicinal plants, including a number of rare, high value, species. At the same time, much of the land in the region is too dry or too rugged, with many geographical extremes. Overgrazing, oil and mineral extraction, and poaching are the major threats in the area.This two-volume project focuses on the dynamic biodiversity of the region with in-depth analysis on phytosociology, plants, animals and agroecology. There are also chapters that explore new applications as well as approachesto overcome problems associated with climate change. Much of the research and analysis are presented here for the first time. We believe this work is a valuable resource for professionals and researchers working in the fields of plant diversity and vegetation, animal diversity and animal populations, and geo-diversity and sustainable land use, among others.The first volume guides our readers to West Asia and the Caucasus region, while volume two focuses on issues unique to South and Middle Asia.