springer international publishing springer international publishing mai 2022 (Over 1,200 results)

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -This book examines place and place-making in London's Borough Market. In particular, it uses topo/graphy ('place-writing) to interrogate the ways in which Borough Market's material, social-sensual and discursive relations assemble to reproduce Borough Market as a place, market and marketplace. Its central premise is that market-processes - the negotiation and exchange of commodities -are place-processes. This means that the often-abstract relationships that ultimately define what we think of as the economy are embedded in the rich and every materiality, sociality, sensuality and meanings associated with place. By tracing out these different elements, topo/graphy illustrates the ways in which economic reproduction is grounded in particular and often discrete practices. However, by assembling them together, this highlights the ways in which place and place-making are the driving force behind the economy at large. 172 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -This book studies the role of subterranean spaces in literary works about Mexico City.It analyzes how underground spaces such as the subway, the sewage system, tunnels, crypts, and the subsoil itself relate to the whole of the city in a body of works published after 1985, the year of the deadliest earthquake in the capital's history. The texts belong to the most important genres in urban literature (the novel, the short story, and thecrónica) and demonstrate the crucial role played by the underground in contemporary imaginings of the megalopolis, as it condenses and confronts the tensions that run through them. This central idea is developed through four analytical chapters focusing on the political, ecological, historical, and aesthetic dimension of subterranean imaginaries. 272 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -This book studies the role of subterranean spaces in literary works about Mexico City.It analyzes how underground spaces such as the subway, the sewage system, tunnels, crypts, and the subsoil itself relate to the whole of the city in a body of works published after 1985, the year of the deadliest earthquake in the capital's history. The texts belong to the most important genres in urban literature (the novel, the short story, and thecrónica) and demonstrate the crucial role played by the underground in contemporary imaginings of the megalopolis, as it condenses and confronts the tensions that run through them. This central idea is developed through four analytical chapters focusing on the political, ecological, historical, and aesthetic dimension of subterranean imaginaries. 272 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware - This open access illustrated guide focuses on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) in children and adolescents.FGM/C comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or injury to the female genital organs for nonmedical reasons. It is mainly carried out during childhood, before the age of 15. The signs of FGM/C can be subtle, and the examiner must be trained with a wide range of normal genitalia both before and after puberty, FGM/C types and subtypes, complications and differential diagnosis. This volume is a reference containing iconographic material of both pre and post pubertal genitals with and without genital cutting.This book will guide health care professionals in making the correct diagnosis, outline the clinical management, enhance patient-provider communication, and will enable accurate recording and reporting to governments where required.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -This book provides an overview of emerging topics in the field of hardware security, such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, and highlights how these technologies can be leveraged to secure hardware and assure electronics supply chains. The authors are experts in emerging technologies, traditional hardware design, and hardware security and trust. Readers will gain a comprehensive understanding of hardware security problems and how to overcome them through an efficient combination of conventional approaches and emerging technologies, enabling them to design secure, reliable, and trustworthy hardware. 632 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Druck auf Anfrage Neuware - Printed after ordering - This book is a theoretical and practical guide in the field of social skills and social competence, based on decades of experience gained by the authors as researchers and professionals in psychology. The book was written for students and professionals who are involved in some way improving individuals social skills in different contexts, such as clinical, educational, organizational and community settings. The authors present the conceptual foundations, procedures, techniques, strategies and practical guidelines for planning and conducting effective programs aimed to social skills and social competence.In the first part of the book, key concepts and fundamentals on the area are presented, as well as the basic behavioral classes of social skills and their non-verbal and paralinguistic components. The authors also propose a portfolio for the assessment of clients' social skills deficits and strengths to thereby define the aims and procedures of interventions.The second partfocuses on guidelines to select and use procedures and techniques for promoting social skills and social competence. The authors present experiential activities that they created in previous interventions and that were tested in their research, showing evidence of effectiveness. Suggestions on how to evaluate participants' repertoires and how to use these ideas in intervention planning are also described. Finally, in the third part of the book, the authors go further presenting practical guidelines for planning and conducting programs and sessions to promote social skills and social competence, in either group or individual settings.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -This book provides in-depth coverage on the latest concepts, systems, and technologies that are being utilized in biorefineries for the production of biofuels and value-added commodities. Written by internationally recognized experts, the book provides a comprehensive overview of pretreatment technology for biorefineries and biofuels, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation technology for biofuel production, and lignin valorization for developing new products from waste lignin. The book will be a valuable resource for researchers and professionals working in process engineering, product engineering, material science, and systems and synthetic biology in the fields of biorefining, biofuel, biomaterials, environmental waste utilization, and biotechnology. 408 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -This book provides a comprehensive coverage of the state of the art in precision medicine in stroke. It starts by explaining and giving general information about precision medicine. Current applications in different strokes types (ischemic, haemorrhagic) are presented from diagnosis to treatment. In addition, ongoing research in the field (early stroke diagnosis and estimation of prognosis) is extensively discussed. The final part provides an in-depth discussion of how different interdisciplinary areas like artificial intelligence, molecular biology and genetics are contributing to this area.Precision Medicine in Stroke provides a practical approach to each chapter, reinforcing clinical applications and presenting clinical cases.This book is intended for all clinicians that interact with stroke patients (neurologists, internal medicine doctors, general practitioners, neurosurgeons), students and basic researchers. 348 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -This book provides a comprehensive coverage of the state of the art in precision medicine in stroke. It starts by explaining and giving general information about precision medicine. Current applications in different strokes types (ischemic, haemorrhagic) are presented from diagnosis to treatment. In addition, ongoing research in the field (early stroke diagnosis and estimation of prognosis) is extensively discussed. The final part provides an in-depth discussion of how different interdisciplinary areas like artificial intelligence, molecular biology and genetics are contributing to this area.Precision Medicine in Stroke provides a practical approach to each chapter, reinforcing clinical applications and presenting clinical cases.This book is intended for all clinicians that interact with stroke patients (neurologists, internal medicine doctors, general practitioners, neurosurgeons), students and basic researchers. 348 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware - This book studies the role of subterranean spaces in literary works about Mexico City.It analyzes how underground spaces such as the subway, the sewage system, tunnels, crypts, and the subsoil itself relate to the whole of the city in a body of works published after 1985, the year of the deadliest earthquake in the capital's history. The texts belong to the most important genres in urban literature (the novel, the short story, and thecrónica) and demonstrate the crucial role played by the underground in contemporary imaginings of the megalopolis, as it condenses and confronts the tensions that run through them. This central idea is developed through four analytical chapters focusing on the political, ecological, historical, and aesthetic dimension of subterranean imaginaries.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -A growing body of evidence from the sciences suggests that our moral beliefs have an evolutionary basis. To explain how human morality evolved, some philosophers have called for the study of morality to be naturalized, i.e., to explain it in terms of natural causes by looking at its historical and biological origins. The present literature has focused on the link between evolution and moral realism: if our moral beliefs enhance fitness, does this mean they track moral truths In spite of the growing empirical evidence, these discussions tend to remain high-level: the mere fact that morality has evolved is often deemed enough to decide questions in normative and meta-ethics. This volume starts from the assumption that the details about the evolution of morality do make a difference, and asks how. It presents original essays by authors from various disciplines, including philosophy, anthropology, developmental psychology, and primatology, who write in conversation with neuroscience, sociology, and cognitive psychology. 236 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -A growing body of evidence from the sciences suggests that our moral beliefs have an evolutionary basis. To explain how human morality evolved, some philosophers have called for the study of morality to be naturalized, i.e., to explain it in terms of natural causes by looking at its historical and biological origins. The present literature has focused on the link between evolution and moral realism: if our moral beliefs enhance fitness, does this mean they track moral truths In spite of the growing empirical evidence, these discussions tend to remain high-level: the mere fact that morality has evolved is often deemed enough to decide questions in normative and meta-ethics. This volume starts from the assumption that the details about the evolution of morality do make a difference, and asks how. It presents original essays by authors from various disciplines, including philosophy, anthropology, developmental psychology, and primatology, who write in conversation with neuroscience, sociology, and cognitive psychology. 236 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -The main aim of this book is to discuss fundamental developments on the question of being in Western and African philosophy using analytic metaphysics as a framework. It starts with the two orthodox responses to the question of being, namely, the subject-verb-object language view and the rheomodic language view. In the first view, being is conceived through the analysis of language structure, where it is represented by subjects (particulars), objects, and relations (often universals). In the second view, there are different variations; however, the common idea is that the world's structure is revealed in the root verb of terms. This suggests a holistic and dynamic conception of being, where everything is in a continuous process of action. The book builds on analytic philosophy and explores metaphysical concepts such as space-time, modality, causation, indeterminism versus determinism, andmind and body. The book shows that in both Western and African thought, (i) similarities in different studies confirm that philosophy is a universal activity, (ii) differences within a context and beyond confirm the perspectival nature of human knowledge as individuals attempt to interpret reality, and (iii) language influences the conceptualization of being in a particular area. One of the novel aspects is the development of visual and mathematical African models of space and time. 200 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -The main aim of this book is to discuss fundamental developments on the question of being in Western and African philosophy using analytic metaphysics as a framework. It starts with the two orthodox responses to the question of being, namely, the subject-verb-object language view and the rheomodic language view. In the first view, being is conceived through the analysis of language structure, where it is represented by subjects (particulars), objects, and relations (often universals). In the second view, there are different variations; however, the common idea is that the world's structure is revealed in the root verb of terms. This suggests a holistic and dynamic conception of being, where everything is in a continuous process of action. The book builds on analytic philosophy and explores metaphysical concepts such as space-time, modality, causation, indeterminism versus determinism, andmind and body. The book shows that in both Western and African thought, (i) similarities in different studies confirm that philosophy is a universal activity, (ii) differences within a context and beyond confirm the perspectival nature of human knowledge as individuals attempt to interpret reality, and (iii) language influences the conceptualization of being in a particular area. One of the novel aspects is the development of visual and mathematical African models of space and time. 200 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -This book explores Jamaica's contemporary relationship with the International Monetary Fund since 2010. It looks at Jamaica's high debt and its inability to access financial support amidst international capital market restrictions, contextualizing harsh socio-economic realities. This book discusses Jamaica's second return to the IMF and the resulting network of actors, governance and political and socio-economic efforts to re-engender a relationship with a 'new' IMF. Credibility was restored, demonstrated by and leading to the successful implementation of the 2013 Extended Fund Facility and subsequent exit to a Precautionary Stand-By Arrangement in 2016. Clarke and Nelson signal from their analyses lessons learned, discussing the economic prognosis for Jamaica as well as their relationship with the IMF under the shadow of the COVID pandemic. 352 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -This book explores Jamaica's contemporary relationship with the International Monetary Fund since 2010. It looks at Jamaica's high debt and its inability to access financial support amidst international capital market restrictions, contextualizing harsh socio-economic realities. This book discusses Jamaica's second return to the IMF and the resulting network of actors, governance and political and socio-economic efforts to re-engender a relationship with a 'new' IMF. Credibility was restored, demonstrated by and leading to the successful implementation of the 2013 Extended Fund Facility and subsequent exit to a Precautionary Stand-By Arrangement in 2016. Clarke and Nelson signal from their analyses lessons learned, discussing the economic prognosis for Jamaica as well as their relationship with the IMF under the shadow of the COVID pandemic. 352 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) teams in the US and around the world receive performance reports that locate their particular value for selected process and outcome measures within the range of values from all reporting NICUs. Understandably, many providers focus primarily, if not exclusively, on their particular value. When a value appears undesirable, providers often justify it in an apparent reflex response rather than critically analysing their data. Exceedingly few reflect on the width or implications of the range within which their performance lies. Standard medical education does not include these skills, yet unwarranted practice variation necessarily compromises a population¿s overall quality of care.Researchers report wide variation in health care resource use with little connection to patient outcomes, challenging the belief that directing incrementally more resources at certain healthcare problems necessarily produces better results. This book provides requisite knowledge to enable readers without research expertise to understand the notion of unwarranted practice variation, how to recognize it, its ubiquity, and why it is generally undesirable ¿ why narrowing is pervasiveness improves quality.The book begins by describing practice variation, its prevalence, and why it matters. Next, it examines alternative conceptualizations of NICU work. One view is task-oriented, while the other is aim-oriented. NICU teams rarely articulate their aims explicitly, so this book offers examples that guide thinking and action. Finally, this book asks, ¿Which rate is 'right'; what is the performance target ¿ The answer entails identifying the lowest resource use rate associated with desirable outcomes. This requires data describing efficient and predictably performing provision of current evidence-based care, along with relationships to a variety of outcomes.Provider conceptualization of healthcare quality also is often vague. The challenge lies in defining this notion operationally. This book does precisely that and gives readers tools to think critically about process, outcome, and quality measures, via some understanding of systems, risk-adjustment modelling, and discriminating signal from noise in process data.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -Der Zugang zur Linearen Algebra ist in diesem Buch weniger algebraisch als in anderen Quellen; der Begriff des Körpers wird erst relativ spät eingeführt. Stattdessen werden die Grundlagen der Linearen Algebra (Vektorräume, lineare Unabhängigkeit, Basen, lineare Abbildungen, Matrizen, Determinanten, Eigenwerte, usw.) zuerst nur im reellen Fall diskutiert.Schwerpunkt im zweiten Teil sind Innenprodukträume und lineare Abbildungen darauf. Hier werden insbesondere die Singulärwertzerlegung und Elemente der Matrix-Analysis besprochen, aber auch Anwendungen in der Geometrie kommen nicht zu kurz. Zahlreiche Beispiele und Hinweise auf aktuelle Themen runden dieses ansprechende und leserfreundliche Lehrbuch ab. 332 pp. Deutsch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -This book presents the latest cutting edge research, theoretical methods, and novel applications in the field of computational intelligence and computational biological approaches that are aiming to combat COVID-19. The book gives the technological key drivers behind using AI to find drugs that target the virus, shedding light on the structure of COVID-19, detecting the outbreak and spread of new diseases, spotting signs of a COVID-19 infection in medical images, monitoring how the virus and lockdown is affecting mental health, and forecasting how COVID-19 cases and deaths will spread across cities and why. Further, the book helps readers understand computational intelligence techniques combating COVID-19 in a simple and systematic way. 400 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware - This book provides a comprehensive coverage of the state of the art in precision medicine in stroke. It starts by explaining and giving general information about precision medicine. Current applications in different strokes types (ischemic, haemorrhagic) are presented from diagnosis to treatment. In addition, ongoing research in the field (early stroke diagnosis and estimation of prognosis) is extensively discussed. The final part provides an in-depth discussion of how different interdisciplinary areas like artificial intelligence, molecular biology and genetics are contributing to this area.Precision Medicine in Stroke provides a practical approach to each chapter, reinforcing clinical applications and presenting clinical cases.This book is intended for all clinicians that interact with stroke patients (neurologists, internal medicine doctors, general practitioners, neurosurgeons), students and basic researchers.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Druck auf Anfrage Neuware - Printed after ordering - This handbook is a comprehensive practical resource on corpus linguistics. It features a range of basic and advanced approaches, methods and techniques in corpus linguistics, from corpus compilation principles to quantitative data analyses. The Handbook is organized in six Parts. Parts I to III feature chapters that discuss key issues and the know-how related to various topics around corpus design, methods and corpus types. Parts IV-V aim to offer a user-friendly introduction to the quantitative analysis of corpus data: for each statistical technique discussed, chapters provide a practical guide with R and come with supplementary online material. Part VI focuses on how to write a corpus linguistic paper and how to meta-analyze corpus linguistic research. The volume can serve as a course book as well as for individual study. It will be an essential reading for students of corpus linguistics as well as experienced researchers who want to expandtheir knowledge of the field.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -In order to yield the expected benefits, sustainability initiatives need to be undertaken by means of a close cooperation between universities on the one hand, and societal partners on the others. The principle of co-creation and co-execution of sustainability initiatives increases the value for all by mutual learning, and the sharing of expertise and resources. But pursuing sustainability initiatives with a community and societal involvement is not simple. There is a perceived need for a better understanding of how universities can interact with society, in order to support the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.This book is an attempt to address this need, by a novel approach which focuses on current potentials and challenges, across a wide range of fields and expertise. The book focuses on how the theory and practice of sustainable development interact and shows the need for a continuation of the dialogue among sustainability academics and practitioners, so as to address the issues, matters and problems at hand. The spectrum of themes addressed on this book also entails how environmental values and ethics are applied and the relationship between social, biological and cultural diversity. It also includes a broad disciplinary approach to sustainability, including education, research and case studies, and the links with human-environment relations in a sustainable development context. 572 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -This book offers a critical account of Karl Marx's dazzling theory of labour power which is also one of the most influential concepts in the history of contemporary philosophy. Labour power is the dark side of the digital revolution. Working men and women are invisible and treated like human service, flesh and blood automatons or organic extensions of a machine that produces data on its own. Automation is viewed as something magic made possible by algorithms whose life is independent of human beings.Labour power, however, has not disappeared. Without drivers, Uber cannot connect customers on its platform; without searches on its browser, Google grinds to a halt; without us, Facebook or Instagram is desert. Labour power is the dwarf hidden inside the puppet of technology that allows algorithms to be intelligent and make the biggest profits in the history of capitalism.The invisible centrality of labour power is the political enigma of our times. Today a new account of the theory of labour power is needed more than ever in order to understand the political economy of digital capitalism on new grounds.Unlike a long tradition in the history of work, labour power is not only the work or the data it produces, but a potency that does not coincide with its current commodification. The actuality of labour power does not exhaust the virtuality that can be actualised by its faculty. Even when reduced to a commodity, labour power does not exhaust the potency of its being otherwise.Immersed in the constant propaganda that boosts the latest technological inventions, we neglect the fact that this wealth is produced by us and that it could be ours precisely because it is a part of our potential to be other than what we are at present.This book is a vibrant invitation to consider the fact that we are always connected with the potency thatis constantly at work in our life. If this were not the case, we would not be alive. If we do not strive to become consciously and collectively active, we will never know. 188 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -This book offers a critical account of Karl Marx's dazzling theory of labour power which is also one of the most influential concepts in the history of contemporary philosophy. Labour power is the dark side of the digital revolution. Working men and women are invisible and treated like human service, flesh and blood automatons or organic extensions of a machine that produces data on its own. Automation is viewed as something magic made possible by algorithms whose life is independent of human beings.Labour power, however, has not disappeared. Without drivers, Uber cannot connect customers on its platform; without searches on its browser, Google grinds to a halt; without us, Facebook or Instagram is desert. Labour power is the dwarf hidden inside the puppet of technology that allows algorithms to be intelligent and make the biggest profits in the history of capitalism.The invisible centrality of labour power is the political enigma of our times. Today a new account of the theory of labour power is needed more than ever in order to understand the political economy of digital capitalism on new grounds.Unlike a long tradition in the history of work, labour power is not only the work or the data it produces, but a potency that does not coincide with its current commodification. The actuality of labour power does not exhaust the virtuality that can be actualised by its faculty. Even when reduced to a commodity, labour power does not exhaust the potency of its being otherwise.Immersed in the constant propaganda that boosts the latest technological inventions, we neglect the fact that this wealth is produced by us and that it could be ours precisely because it is a part of our potential to be other than what we are at present.This book is a vibrant invitation to consider the fact that we are always connected with the potency thatis constantly at work in our life. If this were not the case, we would not be alive. If we do not strive to become consciously and collectively active, we will never know. 188 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -This edited book attempts to foreground how challenges and complexities between policy and practice intertwine in the teaching and learning of the STEM subjects in multilingual settings, and how they (policy and practice) impact on educational processes, developments and outcomes. The unique feature of this book, thus, lies in its combination of not just language issues in the teaching and learning of the STEM subjects, but also in how these issues relate to policy and practice in multilingual contexts and how STEM research and practice may inform and shape language policies and their implementation in multilingual contexts. This book is of interest to stakeholders involved in STEM education such as researchers, undergraduate and graduate students, tertiary level teachers, teacher educators, curriculum developers as well as other professionals with responsibilities in STEM education subjects. The book is written in a way that is accessible to a wide range of backgrounds, including those who are in language education. 276 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -This edited book attempts to foreground how challenges and complexities between policy and practice intertwine in the teaching and learning of the STEM subjects in multilingual settings, and how they (policy and practice) impact on educational processes, developments and outcomes. The unique feature of this book, thus, lies in its combination of not just language issues in the teaching and learning of the STEM subjects, but also in how these issues relate to policy and practice in multilingual contexts and how STEM research and practice may inform and shape language policies and their implementation in multilingual contexts. This book is of interest to stakeholders involved in STEM education such as researchers, undergraduate and graduate students, tertiary level teachers, teacher educators, curriculum developers as well as other professionals with responsibilities in STEM education subjects. The book is written in a way that is accessible to a wide range of backgrounds, including those who are in language education. 276 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Druck auf Anfrage Neuware - Printed after ordering.

Buch. Condition: Neu. Neuware 428 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware -Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) teams in the US and around the world receive performance reports that locate their particular value for selected process and outcome measures within the range of values from all reporting NICUs. Understandably, many providers focus primarily, if not exclusively, on their particular value. When a value appears undesirable, providers often justify it in an apparent reflex response rather than critically analysing their data. Exceedingly few reflect on the width or implications of the range within which their performance lies. Standard medical education does not include these skills, yet unwarranted practice variation necessarily compromises a population¿s overall quality of care.Researchers report wide variation in health care resource use with little connection to patient outcomes, challenging the belief that directing incrementally more resources at certain healthcare problems necessarily produces better results. This book provides requisite knowledge to enable readers without research expertise to understand the notion of unwarranted practice variation, how to recognize it, its ubiquity, and why it is generally undesirable ¿ why narrowing is pervasiveness improves quality.The book begins by describing practice variation, its prevalence, and why it matters. Next, it examines alternative conceptualizations of NICU work. One view is task-oriented, while the other is aim-oriented. NICU teams rarely articulate their aims explicitly, so this book offers examples that guide thinking and action. Finally, this book asks, ¿Which rate is 'right'; what is the performance target ¿ The answer entails identifying the lowest resource use rate associated with desirable outcomes. This requires data describing efficient and predictably performing provision of current evidence-based care, along with relationships to a variety of outcomes.Provider conceptualization of healthcare quality also is often vague. The challenge lies in defining this notion operationally. This book does precisely that and gives readers tools to think critically about process, outcome, and quality measures, via some understanding of systems, risk-adjustment modelling, and discriminating signal from noise in process data.Springer Verlag GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 17, 69121 Heidelberg 292 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. Neuware - Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) teams in the US and around the world receive performance reports that locate their particular value for selected process and outcome measures within the range of values from all reporting NICUs. Understandably, many providers focus primarily, if not exclusively, on their particular value. When a value appears undesirable, providers often justify it in an apparent reflex response rather than critically analysing their data. Exceedingly few reflect on the width or implications of the range within which their performance lies. Standard medical education does not include these skills, yet unwarranted practice variation necessarily compromises a population's overall quality of care. Researchers report wide variation in health care resource use with little connection to patient outcomes, challenging the belief that directing incrementally more resources at certain healthcare problems necessarily produces better results. This book provides requisite knowledge to enable readers without research expertise to understand the notion of unwarranted practice variation, how to recognize it, its ubiquity, and why it is generally undesirable - why narrowing is pervasiveness improves quality.The book begins by describing practice variation, its prevalence, and why it matters. Next, it examines alternative conceptualizations of NICU work. One view is task-oriented, while the other is aim-oriented. NICU teams rarely articulate their aims explicitly, so this bookoffers examples that guide thinking and action. Finally, this book asks, 'Which rate is 'right'; what is the performance target ' The answer entails identifying the lowest resource use rate associated with desirable outcomes. This requires data describing efficient and predictably performing provision of current evidence-based care, along with relationships to a variety of outcomes.Provider conceptualization of healthcare quality also is often vague. The challenge lies in defining this notion operationally. This book does precisely that and gives readers tools to think critically about process, outcome, and quality measures, via some understanding of systems, risk-adjustment modelling, and discriminating signal from noise in process data.