Complexity of entities and its metrological implications.
Zgodavova, Kristina
1. INTRODUCTION
In general, understood by the phrase "metrological
implications of the entity salience and complexity" are generalised
information pertaining to measurements, attained by modelling, by
measuring and simulating the process, and the results of a wide variety
of both productive and reproductive processes being performed in
organisations (Slimak & Zgodavova, 2007). The present paper focuses
upon four groups of generalised information: salience and complexity of
entities; modelling and measuring of entities; process of measurement
and measurement results; practice, research and education. The paper is
intended primarily for the attention of creative professionals though it
will well serve also those interested individuals that are practically
involved in the process of performing measurements and quality
improvement in whatsoever organisations. As to the idea of the entity
complexity and of their metrological consequences we have been drawn to
it due to the very need to consistently measure functional properties of
automobile gear cases and components thereof, as well as to analyse the
most recent results of measurement and cognition outcomes.
2. SALIENCE AND COMPLEXITY OF ENTITIES
The very term 'salience'--a characteristic feature or a
sum of characteristic features of entities--follows from their
philosophical concept as of anything real or virtual that can be
meaningfully considered or speculated upon. The wheel, being one of
major inventions of humans, may well present a proper example. To
explain salient and complex characteristics of the wheel a new term e.g.
"wheel-ness" would need to be invented, and this could be used
for a symptomatic common labelling of concentrity, circularity and
frequency of turning or turns. After the measuring, followed by decision
making about interventions needed for improving of wheel should up come
firstly from this common characteristic. Then, once we introduce entity
ME that we wish to measure into a specific environment and time (Fig.
1), investigated can be its relations with and to the
co-operating/co-acting entities [SE.sub.1] [SE.sub.2], ... [SE.sub.n].
[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]
Explanation: Environment--collection of all significant
determinants: the people, infrastructure, climate, etc.;
Time--historical/chronological, procedural; a - external
control/management and influences of the environment; b internal
control/management; c--bonds with related entities; d--structure of the
entity; e--internal structure of the entity measures and relations
existing among related entities; ME: measured entity; SE--related
entities.
Fig. 1 presents the model introducing one into the issue of
metrological implications of the entity salience and complexity, whilst
the simplest understanding of complexity is the intricacy of describing
properties and functions of entities and of their mutual relations
within in time changing environment. Complexity or complexness is a
highly frequently occurring term that is in the centre of attention of
several research centres and journals, such as e.g. Journal of
Complexity. Visual and material diversities of the wheel present
examples of its complexity: geometric, colourful, mechanical,
electrical, chemical and other, in varying combinations and appearances
depending on the environment and time, transpiring properties. Based on
the most recent research results as an example of complexity we can
serve a complex measurement of nanospores on the level of 2 nm
(nanometers). "National Institute of Standards and Technology
scientists have moved a step closer to developing the means for a rapid
diagnostic blood test that can scan for thousands of disease markers and
other chemical indicators of health. The team's device is able to
distinguish among different-sized polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains, and
the model they have developed is encouraging them to think that with
further effort, the minuscule sensors can be customized to measure many
different molecules quickly" (Reiner et al, 2010). For our purposes
it will suffice to state that characteristic features (salience) and the
depth of their investigating (complexity) in entities are not constant
but that they change depending on the environment and the course of
time, which holds not only for productive and reproductive processes but
also for the entity identifying processes. As to the entities in Fig. 1,
studied are: External control/management and other influences of the
environment and time; internal control/ management and learning; bonds
of the entity measured with the co-acting entities; relations among
co-acting entities; internal structure of the entity measures.
3. MODELLING AND MEASURING OF ENTITIES
Considered for a model of an entity is each such a description of
the entity that meets criteria of the model usefulness, which in our
case means needs of the measurement usefulness. Presently, at disposal
are varying methods of modelling entities and of their
inter-relationships: ERD--Entity Relationship diagram (Holley, 1999).
Measuring of an entity performed on this basis and with the use of Fig.
1 can be deemed to present identification of its status and of the
development tendencies in the given environment and time, thus: of
internal properties and functions of elements and of relations among
them; of external properties and functions. When quantifying the entity
measurement result, factored in should be always their numerousness.
Then, the following scenarios are imaginable: results of measuring the
status and tendencies ... of a single entity--1pc; results of measuring
a selective set that characterises a basic set (batch) of entities;
results of measuring multiple selective sets characterising the entity
formation process. A number of research teams is involved in
appropriateness of the entity measurement results and from the point of
their utilisation in cutting-edge information technologies. Another
issue of significance is the need and possibility to master, by
measurement, also functional appropriateness or value of a magnitude of
the entity properties, and this is referred to as the axiological measurement or axiometrics or qualimetry. Falling among significant
axiological writings is e.g. the book (McDonald, 2004).
4. PROCESS OF MEASUREMENT AND MEASUREMENT RESULTS
Specialists in measurements have been for ages aware that
understanding the measurement solely as determining a numeric value
through using the value as a unit expresses only one face of measuring,
and that at measuring with use of human senses neither a unit nor a
number are required. Quite to the contrary, performing any measurement
requires that determined be what, why, how and when to measure, and
answers to these questions present the prevailing part of their efforts.
These facts transpire especially when considered is e-management and
control of processes of production when it is necessary to work without
personal contacts with elements as with entities immeasurable based on
SI units. These considerations have led us to talk about measurements in
the broader and lesser sense, and we are describing it as:
"Measurement is the process of deriving purposeful/utilitarian
ready-reference information, performed by comparing an entity against
its purposefully reasoned sample, in the given environment and
time".
Comparing an entity against a purposefully reasoned sample may
pertain to a single or multiple properties of the entity functions,
which implies that the measurement may be more or less complex and that
the result does not have to be expressed by a numerical value but by an
arbitrary, agreed upon sign or by a document containing also an
evaluating statement such as e.g. match or negative match. Sub-processes
of thus understood measurement then include: purposeful reasoning of the
measurement; proposing the measurement process; realising the
measurement results; rendering of measurement results. At times, the
professional metrologists are requested to apply also measurement
results not only to the quality management but also to influcence social
responsibilities of organisations.
5. PRACTICE, RESEARCH, EDUCATION CORRESPONDING ADDRESSES
Relations among the measuring practice, measurement research and
education in the field of measuring with respect to developing new more
complex or more universal metrology. Metrology in future organisation
can be described as: "Performing measurements will come more
detached from thee humans though people will be yet for a long time
working in both conceptual and process-wise designing of measurements,
in publicising ready-reference information, in creation of generalised
information as well as in applying them--especially within strategic
management of organisations".
6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The paper has been compiled in connection with resolving project
KEGA 3/6411/08 Transformation of the already existing study programme
Management of production quality to an university-wide bilingual study
programme.
7. CONCLUSION
The basic information can be, as metrological implications of
salience and complexity of entities, summed up as follows: Salience is
the collection of those properties and function of the entity that make
the entity the one and not another one in the given environment and
time. Complexity is the term covering numerousness and intricacy of
elements and mutual relationships of an entity with the environment in
given time. Entity is whatever, real or virtual, that can be
meaningfully pondered upon. To measure an entity means to identify its
status and tendencies of its development within the given environment
and time. Status and tendency of the development must encompass the
magnitude (gradation) of inner and external properties and functions of
the entity and plurality of its occurrence within the given environment
and time. In this way understood measurement can be described as a
process of attaining purposeful ready-reference information based on
comparing the entity against its purposefully reasoned sample in the
given environment and time, featuring the following processes: 1)
Purposefully reasoned/justified measurements; 2) Proposing / designing
the measurement; 3) Performing the measurement; 4) Rendering of the
measurement results.
The objective of research, education and practice in the field of
measurements is to develop its appropriateness for providing factual
reference information on quality and quantity (magnitudes of properties
and of plurality) of any entities so that they would meet requirements
and need of e-engineering, e-medicine, e-education, etc. up to
e-management of future organisations.
8. REFERENCES
Holley, S. (1999): Software for metrology, IEE Review, 15, July
1999, V: 45, I:4 On pages 161-163, ISSN 0953-5683
McDonald, H. P. (2004): Radical Axiology: A First Philosophy of
Valves, Editions Rodopi B. V., Amsterdam--New York, NY 2004, ISBN 90-420-1040-1
Reiner, J. E.; Kasianowicz, J. J.; Nablo, B. J.; Robertson, J.W.
F.(2010): Theory for polymer analysis using nanopore-based
single-molecule mass spectrometry. Proceedings of the National Academy
of Sciences, Published online on June 21, 2010, doi:
10.1073/pnas.1002194107
Slimak, I.; Zgodavova, K. (2007): Metrologicke dosledky
priznacnosti a komplexnosti entit, in: Proceedings of V. International
Conference "Strojarska technologia a automatizacia", Piatrova
17.-18. 10. 2007
