Open Access

Coupling is one of the most frequently mentioned metric in software systems. However, to measure logical coupling between microservices, runtime information is needed or the availability of service-log files to analyze the calls between services is required. This work presents our emerging results, in which we propose a metric to statically calculate logical coupling between microservices based on commits to versioning systems. We performed an initial validation of the proposed metric with a dataset containing 145 open-source microservices projects. The results illustrate how logical coupling affects every system and increases overtime. However, we did not find a correlation between the number of commits or the number of developers and the introduction of logical coupling. In future, we investigate why, how, and when logical coupling is introduced in a system.

This paper presents design, simulation, and optimization of the three-dimensional 1×4 optical multimode interference splitter using IP-Dip polymer as a core and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) Sylgard 184 as a cladding. The splitter was simulated by using beam propagation method in BeamPROP simulation engine of RSoft photonic tool and optimized for an operating wavelength of 1.55 µm. According to the minimum insertion loss, the dimensions of the MMI coupler and the length of the whole MMI splitter structure were optimized applying a waveguide with a core size of 4×4 µm2. The objective of the study is to create a design for fabrication by three-dimensional direct laser writing optical lithography.

Through mandatory ESG (environmental, social, governance) reporting large companies must disclose their ESG activities showing how sustainability risks are incorporated in their decision-making and production processes. This disclosure obligation, however, does not apply to small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), creating a gap in the ESG dataset. Banks are therefore required to collect sustainability data of their SME customers independently to ensure complete ESG integration in the risk analysis process for loans. In this paper, we examine ESG risk analysis through a smart science approach laying the focus on possible value outcomes of sustainable smart services for banks as well as for their (SME) customers. The paper describes ESG factors, how services can be derived from them, targeted metrics of ESG and an ESG Service Creation Framework (business ecosystem building, process model, and value creation). The description of an exemplary use case highlighting the necessary ecosystem for service creation as well as the created value concludes the paper.

In this paper, a 256-channel, 10-GHz arrayed waveguide gratings demultiplexer for ultra-dense wavelength division multiplexing was designed using an in-house developed tool called AWG-Parameters. The AWG demultiplexer was designed for a central wavelength of 1550 nm and the structure was simulated in PHASAR tool from Optiwave. Two different AWG designs were developed and the influence of the design parameters on the AWG performance was studied.

The role of entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs in the current zeitgeist is to drive innovation, re-shape rigid, established processes in business as well as for consumers. They use new viewpoints to pioneer new (business) models which focus on ‘smartness’ rather than the purely monetary and short-sighted models of yesteryear. Fostering and supporting the culture of this current zeitgeist is a mayor challenge for entre- and intrapreneurial support infrastructures, namely startup centres and innovation hubs of universities and other public institutions as well as innovation centres of private companies. Hereby, support may range from access to funding over provision of resources such as offices or computing hardware to coaching in the development of business ideas and strategic roadmaps for product and service deployment. In this paper, we focus on describing the status-quo of afore- mentioned support infrastructures in Vorarlberg and the Lake Constance region, then extend the scope to existing (international) approaches for aiding founders and inno- vators in the development of smart services. An analysis of success stories of the Vorarlberg startup centre ‘startupstube’ and other initiatives including their compar- ison to international counterparts builds the basis for a methodological framework for (service science) coaching in entre- and intrapreneurial support infrastructures. The paper is concluded by the description of a framework for choosing the right methods and tools to create service value in entre-/intrapreneurship based upon tested, proven know-how and for defining support infrastructure needs based upon pre-defined stakeholder and target groups as well as the (industry) sectors of the innovators.