The increased presence of parallel computing platforms brings concerns to the general purpose domain that were previously prevalent only in the specific niche of high-performance computing. As parallel programming technologies become more prevalent in the form of new emerging programming languages and extensions of existing languages, additional safety concerns arise as part of the paradigm shift from sequential to parallel behaviour. In this paper, we propose various syntax extensions to the Ada language, which provide mechanisms whereby the compiler is given the necessary semantic information to enable the implicit and explicit parallelization of code. The model is based on earlier work, which separates parallelism specification from concurrency implementation, but proposes an updated syntax with additional mechanisms to facilitate the development of safer parallel programs.

The widespread use of multi-CPU computers is challenging programming languages, which need to adapt to be able to express potential parallelism at the language level. In this paper we propose a new model for fine grained parallelism in Ada, putting forward a syntax based on aspects, and the corresponding semantics to integrate this model with the existing Ada tasking capabilities. We also propose a standard interface and show how it can be extended by the user or library writers to implement their own parallelization strategies.Abstract. The widespread use of multi-CPU computers is challenging programming languages, which need to adapt to be able to express potential parallelism at the language level. In this paper we propose a new model for fine grained parallelism in Ada, putting forward a syntax based on aspects, and the corresponding semantics to integrate this model with the existing Ada tasking capabilities. We also propose a standard interface and show how it can be extended by the user or library writers to implement their own parallelization strategies.

Abstract. This paper extends the authors earlier proposal for providing Ada with support for fine-grained parallelism with an execution model based on the concept of abstract executors, detailing the progress guarantees that these executors must provide and how these can be assured even in the presence of potentially blocking operations. The paper also describes how this execution model can be applied to real-time systems.

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the application of Total Quality Management (TQM) in five organizations in light of the assumption that its implementation is an ongoing negotiated order rather than an objective reality as often accepted by the literature. Guided by a theoretical framework identified by Spencer (1994), the perceptions of a cross‐section of managers and employees in these organizations are used to establish the nature of applied TQM in terms of mechanistic and organic “mental models” of organization.Design/methodology/approachThe paper shows that research methodology is qualitative, and evidence was collected primarily through semi‐structured in‐depth interviews. A non‐quantifying general analytic methodology was used to analyse the evidence collected via convenience sampling.FindingsThe findings in this paper indicate that, in three of the organizations, TQM is being applied in generally organic ways. In the other two organizations, strong influences of the mechanistic model were detected. In many cases, elements of both mechanistic and organic approaches can be found in the same organization.Research limitations/implicationsThe research in this paper is qualitative and exploratory in nature and, as such, does not attempt to investigate the implementation of TQM across a large number of organizations nor generalize the findings.Originality/valueThe research in this paper has significant originality as there is little research, to date, evident on the alternative view, of the implementation of TQM, espoused by Spencer (1994). The research contributes to the literature by demonstrating that the application of TQM can be both mechanistic and organic, encouraging the debate to focus on the nature of the variation of implementation as a subject of discussion in its own right.

The findings from a detailed study of human resource management (HRM) practitioners in the metals mining industry indicate strong support for the view that significant changes to workplace practices and the management of human resources have taken place in the mining sector in recent years and that these changes have led to high organisational productivity and the evolution of workplace and organisational cultures amenable to productive change. The results reveal that a key element of the change process has been the introduction and development of workplace agreements, and this industrial regime has been instrumental in facilitating the type of workplace reform which is beneficial to the achievement of organisational goals and objectives. A flow‐on effect of this workplace reform has been the diminution in importance of the traditional industrial relations component in the HR role, and the trend towards the decentralisation of some of the traditional HR functions to line managers. However, evidence of a major shift in the importance of HR managers and comprehensive moves to integrate HRM strategically is not overwhelming, although most HR practitioners surveyed agreed that the status and influence of HR professionals have generally increased over recent years. The results of this study raise important questions about the positioning of HRM as a strategic element in organisational and business planning and activities, and its role within management systems which reflect a largely unitarist interpretation of organisational life.

We develop a transdisciplinary deliberative model that moves beyond traditional scientific collaborations to include nonscientists in designing complexity-oriented research. We use the case of declining honey bee health as an exemplar of complex real-world problems requiring crossdisciplinary intervention. Honey bees are important pollinators of the fruits and vegetables we eat. In recent years, these insects have been dying at alarming rates. To prompt the reorientation of research toward the complex reality in which bees face multiple challenges, we came together as a group, including beekeepers, farmers, and scientists. Over a 2-year period, we deliberated about how to study the problem of honey bee deaths and conducted field experiments with bee colonies. We show trust and authority to be crucial factors shaping such collaborative research, and we offer a model for structuring collaboration that brings scientists and nonscientists together with the key objects and places of their shared concerns across time.

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