Various types of sysfems o/ proai/istc proa/s have played a decisive role in the development of Computer Science Theory in the last decade. This can be verified through the great number of studies about interactive proofs, zero-knowledge proofs, and transparent (or holographic) proofs. These topics are guided by the robustness of the codifications and by the computational capacity of checking them. In this text, we aim at presenting a ecncal ntroduc on reZaiue fo the proabilstcaZZy checkaZe robust proa/s. Within this approach. the new characterization of the non-deterministic polynomial-time class through the Probabilistically Checkable Proofs class formulated by Arara, Lund, Motwani. Sudan e Szegedy in IALM+92], ./V'P = PCP(logo, 1), is of central importance. We intend to prove this characterization, because it encompasses the principal points of the subject and. furthermore, covers subjacently a wide set of computational, algebraic. and probabilistic tools. which are fundamental in this topic.
As men and women with an abiding commitment to public service, the participants in this symposium will surely be forgiven if they occasionally yield to the temptation to paraphrase Charles Dickens by saying: It is the worst of times; it is the worst of times. But even the worst of times has something to offer those blessed with a sanguine temperament. Banished to the fringe of events, we need not pass our days languishing in irrelevance. Instead, we should make use of our present unhappy condition to reflect upon how we might do better when public service once again enjoys popular support -- as it surely will some day. I believe serious reflection along these lines is already underway and has been for some time. I take the salience of the word governance in our recent literature as a sign of repentance for past transgressions and firm purpose to mend our ways. The transgression was our failure in happier times to link administration to governing, preferring instead to see it as some sort of neutral technique or even as a science. The marked tendency today to criticize the new-found enthusiasm for management for neglecting the rule of law should be seen not as a rejection of management, but as a constructive effort to tame its excesses by grounding it in the well-established norms of governing a constitutional republic. The salience of governance in our field has spawned a renewed interest in constitutionalism. Indeed, a symposium in Public Administration Review just three years ago identified a school of constitutional thought within the public administration community. The purpose of this article is to contribute to this growing interest in constitutionalism by adding a comparative dimension. Comparativists in the field of political science are fond of quoting a line from Kipling -- what knows he of England who only England knows? -- to make the point that one can learn much about one's own country by studying another one. Comparative studies stimulate the political imagination. They prepare us to think creatively about how we might integrate administrative institutions into traditional constitutional structures and how these structures themselves might be adapted to suit the times that lie ahead. My choice of Canadian federalism as a topic of inquiry needs a word of explanation in view of the seemingly endless string of constitutional crises that have bedeviled that otherwise pleasant land over the past three decades. I focus upon Canada for two reasons: 1. Frequent comments have been made by both Quebec sovereigntists and Ottawa federalists on the need to find administrative solutions to the Canadian constitutional crisis. Here is a bold claim that students of public administration would ignore at their peril. Since the referendum of October 1995, there has been precious little progress -- administrative or otherwise -- toward accommodating Quebec's demands within the present constitutional order, but the mere fact that serious people would even talk about administration doing the deeds of high statesmanship challenges the crabbed American view on the possibilities of administrative activity. In Canada, constitutional debates over the very survival of the regime evoke detailed discussions of such classic administrative themes as environmental management, immigration policy, public finance, civil service pensions, education, manpower and training, unemployment benefits, and control of natural resources. I hope that my article will provide a helpful, albeit rather sketchy, constitutional background for American administrationists who take the trouble to follow the dramatic events unfolding among our neighbors to the north. 2. There is a current American rediscovery of the Tenth Amendment, which promises a pronounced redistribution of authority away from Washington and to the states. There can be little doubt that we are about to enjoy (or, alas, endure) still another round of new but this time all signs point to a more profound and more lasting reprise on this theme than Presidents Nixon and Reagan were able to deliver The political culture of Canada is sufficiently similar to our own to warrant the expectation that by studying its highly decentralized federalism, we can learn something of the advantages of decentralization while avoiding its excesses. …
The 1990s has been labeled as the decade of the small in Canada (Candalino and Knowlton 1994). While large Canadian firms are trying to be more competitive through downsizing, re-engineering, and decentralization, small firms are forging ahead (Candalino and Knowlton 1994; Morgan 1994). This is particularly true for small Canadian firms that are developing innovations with a clear competitive advantage and are leaders in sunshine industries such as high technology (Candalino and Knowlton 1994). Many of the firms are also picking up products and services dropped by large firms in their downsizing efforts. As a result, small Canadian firms are making major inroads in global markets (Morgan 1994). Small firms play a significant role in the Canadian economy. They contribute nearly 40 percent of Canada's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employ about half the labor force (Labbe 1994). Also, small businesses create nearly 60 percent of the new jobs in Canada. Hence their success is critical for the Canadian economy (Morgan 1994). Recognizing the importance of small firms in the stability of the economy, the Canadian government has set up programs like the Program for Export Market Development and Promotional Projects Programs to encourage their start-up and growth. Canadian provinces have also enacted legislation to encourage small business. For example, in Ontario, the Small Business Development Corporation Act provides tax breaks for individuals investing in small firms. However, regardless of this support, the success of small firms in the global market depends on their ability to manage human assets (Deshpande and Golhar 1995). Today's global market expects reasonably priced, high quality products delivered on time. Hence, small firms need a highly motivated, skilled, and satisfied workforce that can produce quality goods at low cost (Holt 1993). It is therefore important that small firms implement an appropriate human resource management strategy to develop such a work force. It is not surprising that, next to general management, small firms rank personnel management as their most important management activity (Hess 1987). Unfortunately, recruiting, motivating, and retaining employees are some of the biggest problems faced by small firms (Hornsby and Kuratko 1990; Mathis and Jackson 1991). However, in practice, other functional areas such as finance, production, and marketing usually get more attention than does personnel management (McEvoy 1984). For example, one study suggested that training in personnel management is not as critical as training in finance or marketing in small firms (Curran 1988). Even textbooks on small business management pay scant attention to personnel management issues (Deshpande and Golhar 1995; Hess 1987). Other research, however, suggests that inadequate and inefficient management of human resources has often resulted in low productivity, high dissatisfaction, and turnover among the employees (Mathis and Jackson 1991). Previous research has found lack of progressive HRM practices to be the leading cause of failures of small firms (McEvoy 1984). Thus there is little consensus among researchers regarding the role of HRM in the success of small firms. The empirical research in this study tries to resolve this issue by presenting a comparative study of small and large Canadian firms. Literature Review The purpose of a good HRM program is to recruit, select, motivate, and retain employees with such required characteristics as concern for the firm's success, ability to work in groups, and quantitative skills (Deshpande and Golhar 1994). Most of the published research in the U.S. and Canada investigating HRM issues in small businesses is conceptual and has concentrated on various HRM topics like selection, training and development, compensation, and industrial relations. For example, Gatewood and Field (1987) propose a model selection program for small business, while Curran (1988) suggests several training strategies for a small business. …
<p>We study the behavior of interactive arguments under sequential iteration, in particular how this affects the error probability. This problem turns out to be more complex than one might expect from the fact that for interactive proofs, the error trivially decreases exponentially in the number of iterations.<br />In particular, we study the typical efficient case where the iterated protocol is based on a single instance of a computational problem. This is not a special case of independent<br />iterations of an entire protocol, and real exponential decrease of the error cannot be expected, but nevertheless, for practical applications, one needs concrete relations<br />between the complexity and error probability of the underlying problem and that of the iterated protocol. We show how this problem can be formalized and solved using the<br />theory of proofs of knowledge.<br /> We also prove that in the non-uniform model of complexity the error probability<br />of independent iterations of an argument does indeed decrease exponentially - to our knowledge this is the first result about a strictly exponentially small error probability in a computational cryptographic security property. <br />As an illustration of our first result, we present a very efficient zero-knowledge argument<br />for circuit satisfiability, and thus for any NP problem, based on any collision-intractable hash function. Our theory applies to show the soundness of this protocol. Using an efficient hash function such as SHA-1, the protocol can handle about 20000 binary gates per second at an error level of 2^−50.</p><p>Keywords -- Interactive proofs, arguments, proofs of knowledge, computational security,<br />efficient general primitives, multi-bit commitment, statistical zero-knowledge.</p>
The Family Division of the High Court exercises jurisdiction in family proceedings in England and Wales. A broadly similar jurisdiction is exercised under the Children Act in care proceedings and in private law disputes between parents by county courts and family proceedings courts. It should be emphasised that this article is about civil, not criminal, proceedings in which the burden of proof is diVerent and the practice which I describe does not apply. 2 The most recent example is the acknowledgment by the Court of Appeal that paediatricians and child psychiatrists are entitled in family proceedings to express opinions on child abuse which are based on or take into account the expert's assessment of the child's truthfulness: see Re M and R (Child Abuse: Evidence) [1996] 2 FLR 195, CA. Equally, I do not have space to address the duties of experts generally, as to which there is agreement across all the divisions of the High Court that expert evidence presented to the court should be and should be seen to be the independent product of the expert uninfluenced as to form or content by the exigencies of litigation. In Re J [1991] FCR 191 at 226/7, Cazalet J said that in children's cases the duty to be objective and not to mislead is as vital as in any case, because the child's welfare is at stake, and his/her interests are paramount. He added that an absence of objectivity may result in a child being wrongly placed and thereby unnecessarily at risk. It must also be borne in mind that a misleading opinion from an expert may well inhibit a proper assessment of a particular case by the non-medical professional advisers and may also lead parties, and in particular parents, to false views and hopes. 3 By section 12 of the Administration of Justice Act 1960, as amended by Schedule 13, para 14 of the Children Act 1989, it is a contempt of court to publish information relating to proceedings brought (inter alia) under the Children Act. 4 Oxfordshire County Council v M [1994] Fam 151, CA: Re L (A Minor) (Police Investigation) [1996] 2 WLR 395, HL. 5 By section 1(2) the court is required to have regard to the general principle that any delay in determining questions relating to the upbringing of children is likely to prejudice their welfare. 6
Organization Activity Support and Information System (OASIS) is a computer-based information system that supports; the construction and deployment of business applications. It is aimed at supporting the following 4 major organizational needs: (a) using data processing, reasoning, and communication in an integrative manner; (b) allowing control over one's own applications; (c) tying together independently developed applications for organizational use; and (d) simplifying certain types of changes or evolution. OASIS accomplishes these needs by viewing organizations as consisting of autonomous units with the capability of interacting with each other and by the integrative use of blackboards and forms. This article describes the OASIS system, presents a small example of its abilities, and describes planned future research.
The author focuses on the link between local government decentralization and democracy in Eastern Europe. It is shown that decentralization is a multidimensional concept and that actual local government systems can be positioned differently on each dimension (functions, control, and finance) depending on the implicit model of local government. Formal and substantive definitions of democracy are distinguished and some conventional measures examined; it is concluded that decentralization and democracy do not necessarily go together. The degree of decentralization and implicit models of postsocialist local government in Eastern Europe are then outlined, with a focus on the contrast between Budapest and Moscow. The development of social movements in the two capitals is taken as an index of substantive democracy and is shown to be influenced not only by the extent of decentralization but also by other features of the local political context. This illustrates the earlier argument that the relation between decentralization and democracy is an empirically variable one rather than a necessary one.
An active decentralization policy was initiated by the Chamorro Government in 1990. Institution-building initiatives have involved the creation of the Instituto Nicaraguense de Fomento Municipal (INIFOM) whose mandate includes the restoration of municipal capacities and the creation of equity among municipalities which have been subject to divergent financial conditions based on their different economic and resource base. This process is ongoing and progress in notable. However, the definition of the responsibilities of municipalities, the evolution of their tax base, ability to collect taxes and develop realistic investment programs in addition to running their daily affairs, are still in their infancy. Meanwhile donors play a major role with both positive results resource transfer and building-up of skills) and negative consequences (pet geographical areas and project types, investment projects rather than programming orientation, creation of a plethora of institutions). Seen in a dynamic context, the donor assistance has been helpful in setting the stage for homegrown municipal development if it is properly redirected. The report analyzes the financial basis for the municipalities, their sources of investment finance, and an estimation of the total external contributions, the decentralization policies and their consequences, the institutional setting and its potential for conflict, and new legislative initiatives.
Jayanth N. Kudva, Kari Appa, A. P. Jardine, Christopher Martin · 5 authors
The concept of an adaptive aircraft wing, i.e., whose shape parameters such as camber, span-wise twist, and thickness can be varied to optimize the wing shape for various flight conditions, has been extensively studied by numerous researchers. While the aerodynamic benefits (in terms of increased lift/drag ratios, improved maneuverability, and delayed flow separation) have been analytically and experimentally established, the complexity and weight penalty of the designs and actuation using smart materials could potentially alleviate the shortcomings of prior designs, leading the way to a more practical `smart' adaptive wing which responds to changes in flight and environmental conditions by optimally modifying its shape. A summary of recent work in the area of adaptive wing concepts incorporating smart structures technologies is presented. Emphasis is placed on continuing research at Northrop Grumman under a United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency contract entitled `Smart Structures and Materials Development-Smart Wing,'. Limitations and potential benefits of adaptive wing designs, applications and advantages of smart material actuators and sensors, and results of recent tests are discussed. Recommendations for future work required to develop an operational smart adaptive wing are also outlined.
Jayanth N. Kudva, Kari Appa, Christopher A. Martin, A. P. Jardine · 16 authors
The concept of an adaptive aircraft wing, i.e., whose shape parameters such as camber, span-wise twist, and thickness can be varied to optimize the wing shape for various flight conditions, has been extensively studied by numerous researchers [1-8]. While the aerodynamic benefits (in terms of increased lift/drag ratios, improved maneuverability, and delayed flow separation) have been analytically and experimentally established, the complexity and weight penalty of the designs and actuation mechanisms have limited their practical implementation. Recent developments in sensors and actuators using materials could potentially alleviate the shortcomings of prior designs, leading the way to a more practical smart adaptive wing which responds to changes in flight and environmental conditions by optimally modifying its shape. This paper presents the results of recent work conducted under a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contract entitled Structures and Materials Development - Smart Wing. In particular, development and testing of the wing wind tunnel model are presented. Limitations and potential benefits of adaptive wing designs are also discussed, along with recommendations for future work required to develop an operational adaptive wing.