Abstract: For a long time as a result of accommodating car
traffic, planning ideologies in the past put a low priority on public
space, pedestrianism and the role of city space as a meeting place for
urban dwellers. In addition, according to authors such as Jan Gehl,
market forces and changing architectural perceptions began to shift
the focus of planning practice from the integration of public space in
various pockets around the contemporary city to individual buildings.
Eventually, these buildings have become increasingly more isolated
and introverted and have turned their backs to the realm of the public
space adjoining them. As a result of this practice, the traditional
function of public space as a social forum for city dwellers has in
many cases been reduced or even phased out. Author Jane Jacobs
published her seminal book “The Death and Life of Great American
Cities" more than fifty years ago, but her observations and
predictions at the time still ring true today, where she pointed out
how the dramatic increase in car traffic and its accommodation by the
urban planning ideology that was brought about by the Modern
movement has prompted a separation of the uses of the city. At the
same time it emphasizes free standing buildings that threaten urban
space and city life and result in underutilized and lifeless urban cores.
In this discussion context, the aim of this paper is to showcase a
reversal of just such a situation in the case of the Dasoupolis
neighborhood in Strovolos, Cyprus, where enlightened urban design
practice has see the reclamation of pedestrian space in a car
dominated area.
Abstract: The world is entering a new path of development which is becoming the driving force of globalization. It is seen as an irreversible process of the present reality and has a significant impact on the transformation of economic, social and cultural rights. This also applies to changes in the rural environment which while emphasizing the global development should also maintain its identity and locality, and a rural community should do more to recognize the globalization of an opportunity than a threat to the Polish countryside. The paper discusses theoretical problems of rural development and the importance of diversification in rural areas and preserving the countryside life and there werepresente the opinions of residents of the Polish countryside on the impact of globalization on the development.
Abstract: In the last few years, several steps were taken in order
to improve the quality of corporate governance for Romanian listed
companies. Higher standards of corporate governance is documented
in the literature to lead to a better information environment, and,
consequently, to increase analysts forecast accuracy. Accordingly, the
purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent to which corporate
governance policies affect analysts forecasts for companies listed on
Bucharest Stock Exchange. The results showed that there is indeed a
negative correlation between a corporate governance index – used as
a proxy for the quality of corporate governance practices - and
analysts forecast errors.
Abstract: For the past thirty years the Malaysian economy has been said to contribute well to the progress of the nations. However, the intensification of global economy activity and the extensive use of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in recent years are challenging government-s effort to further develop Malaysian society. The competition posed by the low wage economies such as China and Vietnam have made the government realise the importance of engaging in high-skill and high technology industries. It is hoped this will be the basis of attracting more foreign direct investment (FDI) in order to help the country to compete in globalised world. Using Vision 2020 as it targeted vision, the government has decided to engage in the use of ICTs and introduce many policies pertaining to it. Mainly based on the secondary analysis approach, the findings show that policy pertaining to ICTs in Malaysia contributes to economic growth, but the consequences of this have resulted in greater division within society. Although some of the divisions such as gender and ethnicity are narrowing down, the gap in important areas such as regions and class differences is becoming wider. The widespread use of ICTs might contribute to the further establishment of democracy in Malaysia, but the increasing number of foreign entities such as FDI and foreign workers, cultural hybridisation and to some extent cultural domination are contributing to neocolonialism in Malaysia. This has obvious consequences for the government-s effort to create a Malaysian national identity. An important finding of this work is that there are contradictions within ICT policy between the effort to develop the economy and society.
Abstract: Expert systems are used extensively in many domains.
This paper discusses the use of medical expert systems in Pakistan.
Countries all over the world pay special attention on health facilities.
A country like Pakistan faces a lot of trouble in health sector.
Several attempts have been made in Pakistan to improve the health
conditions of the people but the situation is still not encouraging.
There is a shortage of doctors and other trained personnel in
Pakistan. Expert systems can play a vital role in such cases where the
medical expert is not readily available. The purpose of this paper is
to analyze the role that such systems can play in improving the health
conditions of the people in Pakistan.
Abstract: It is the living conditions in the cities that determine the future of our livelihood. “To change life, we must first change space"- Henri Lefebvre. Sustainable development is a utopian aspiration for South African cities (especially the case study of the Gauteng City Region), which are currently characterized by unplanned growth and increasing urban sprawl. While the reasons for poor environmental quality and living conditions are undoubtedly diverse and complex, having political, economical and social dimensions, it is argued that the prevailing approach to layout planning in South Africa is part of the problem. This article seeks a solution to the problem of sustainability, from a spatial planning perspective. The spatial planning tool, the urban development boundary, is introduced as the concept that will ensure empty talk being translated into a sustainable vision. The urban development boundary is a spatial planning tool that can be used and implemented to direct urban growth towards a more sustainable form. The urban development boundary aims to ensure planned urban areas, in contrast to the current unplanned areas characterized by urban sprawl and insufficient infrastructure. However, the success of the urban development boundary concept is subject to effective implementation measures, as well as adequate and efficient management. The concept of sustainable development can function as a driving force underlying societal change and transformation, but the interface between spatial planning and environmental management needs to be established (as this is the core aspects underlying sustainable development), and authorities needs to understand and implement this interface consecutively. This interface can, however, realize in terms of the objectives of the planning tool – the urban development boundary. The case study, the Gauteng City Region, is depicted as a site of economic growth and innovation, but there is a lack of good urban and regional governance, impacting on the design (layout) and function of urban areas and land use, as current authorities make uninformed decisions in terms of development applications, leading to unsustainable urban forms and unsustainable nodes. Place and space concepts are thus critical matters applicable to planning of the Gauteng City Region. The urban development boundary are thus explored as a planning tool to guide decision-making, and create a sustainable urban form, leading to better environmental and living conditions, and continuous sustainability.
Abstract: This paper deals with the status of solid waste pollution in touristic spots of North coastal Andhra Pradesh. Case studies of Eco tourism, cultural tourism and pilgrim tourism are elaborately discussed and the study is based on both primary and secondary data. Data collection includes field collection of solid waste, semi structured interviews and observation of tourists. Results indicate generation of 72% Non biodegradable material in Eco touristic places like RK beach Visakhapatnam, Araku Valley. Pydithalli Jathra is a famous cultural touristic attraction and more than one lakh people converge here. The solid waste at this spot includes 20% coconut shells, 50% plastic bottles and covers, 20% Banana peelings and remaining are food materials. Radhasapthami is the most important festival celebrated at famous sun temple Arasavalli of Srikakulam. Here solid waste includes 50% water bottles, plastic covers, 10% papers, 10% hair, 30% left out food material and Banana peelings.
Abstract: Supplier appraisal fosters energy in Supply Chain
Management and helps in best optimization of viable business
partners for a company. Many Decision Making techniques have
already been proposed by researchers for supplier-s appraisal.
However, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is assumed to be the
most structured technique to attain near-best solution of the problem.
This paper focuses at implementation of AHP in the procurement
processes. It also suggests that on what factors a Public Sector
Enterprises must focus while dealing with their suppliers and what
should the suppliers do to synchronize their activities with the
strategic objectives of Organization. It also highlights the weak areas
in supplier appraisal process with a view to suggest viable
recommendations.
Abstract: In this article the authors investigate the main
tendencies of development of the management in the education system of the Republic of Kazakhstan: problems, solutions and
development of the education system of Kazakhstan in the realities of globalization.
Abstract: Neoclassical and functionalist explanations of self
organization in multiagent systems have been criticized on several accounts including unrealistic explication of overadapted agents and
failure to resolve problems of externality. The paper outlines a more
elaborate and dynamic model that is capable of resolving these dilemmas. An illustrative example where behavioral diversity is
cobred in a repeated nonzero sum task via evolutionary computing is
presented.
Abstract: This research focuses on micro-enterprise of
Malaysian Malays that are involved in very small-scaled business
activities. Among them include food stall and burger stall operators,
night market hawkers, grocery store operators as well as construction
and small service activities works. The study seeks to explore why
some micro-entrepreneurs still lag in entrepreneurship and what
needs to be rectified. This quantitative study is conducted on 173
Malay micro-enterprise owners (MEOs) and 58 Malay failed microenterprise
owners (FMEOs) involved in all range of businesses
throughout the state of Perak, Malaysia. The main aims are to
identify the gaps between the failed micro-enterprise owners
(FMEOs) and existing micro-enterprise owners (MEOs) and the
problems faced among FMEOs. The results reveal that the MEOs had
strong motivations and better marketing approaches as compared to
FMEOs. Furthermore, the FMEOs failed in the business ventures
mainly due to lack of management, sales and marketing skills and
poor competitive abilities to keep up with rivals.
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to investigate the
relationship between corporate governance and pricing for initial
public offerings (IPOs). Empirical result finds that the prediction of
pricing of IPOs with corporate governance added can have a rather
higher degree of predicting accuracy than that of non governance
added during the training and testing samples. Therefore, it can be
observed that corporate governance mechanism can affect the pricing
of IPOs
Abstract: The development and use of mobile devices as well as its integration within education systems to deliver electronic contents and to support real-time communications was the focus of this research. In order to investigate the software engineering issues in using mobile devices a research on electronic content was initiated. The Developed MP3 mobile software solution was developed as a prototype for testing and developing a strategy for designing a usable m-learning environment. The mobile software solution was evaluated using mobile device using the link: http://projects.seeu.edu.mk/mlearn. The investigation also tested the correlation between the two mobile learning indicators: electronic content and attention, based on the Task Based learning instructional method. The mobile software solution ''M-Learn“ was developed as a prototype for testing the approach and developing a strategy for designing usable m-learning environment. The proposed methodology is about what learning modeling approach is more appropriate to use when developing mobile learning software.
Abstract: In the article the experience of principle new
technology development of ethnopsychological experiment on the
basis of using other virtual independent experimental variables is
presented. It is shown that ethnic prejudices are the result of forming
and development of specific semantic barriers, arising up in the
conditions of interethnic co-operation and people-s communication.
Their overcoming is more successful in the conditions of the special
organized process of teaching in a polyethnic environment,
characteristic for the modern institute
Abstract: This paper aims to argue that religion and Faith-based Organizations (FBOs) contribute to building democratic process through the provision of education in Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone experienced a civil war from 1991 to 2002 and about 70 percent of the population lives in poverty. While the government has been in the process of rebuilding the nation, many forms of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), including FBOs, have played a significant role in promoting social development. Education plays an important role in supporting people-s democratic movements through knowledge acquisition, spiritual enlightenment and empowerment. This paper discusses religious tolerance in Sierra Leone and how FBOs have contributed to the provision of primary education in Sierra Leone. This study is based on the author-s field research, which involved interviews with teachers and development stakeholders, notably government officials, Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) and FBOs, as well as questionnaires completed by pupils, parents and teachers.
Abstract: A major goal of any enterprise is to create a ratings
system of customer satisfaction, goods and services. It is obvious that
the company cannot change what is not measured. In order to get a
clearer picture of the preferences of the major consumer groups, this
stage should be based on extensive research, including a variety of
interviews and surveys. It is necessary to know the key benefits,
which determine customer satisfaction in the market segment, of the
properties of certain goods and services. It is important to estimate
the terms of these preferences from the viewpoint of the client. This
article discusses the importance of customer satisfaction, and ways of
assessing it.
Abstract: The State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will hold two important events in the nearby future. In 2014 it will have the final game of the Football World Cup, and in 2016 it will be holding the Olympic Games. Therefore, the public transportation system (mainly buses) is of a major concern to the Rio de Janeiro State authorities-. The main objective of this work is to compare the quality of service of the bus companies operating in the cities of ItaperunaandCampos, both cities situated in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The outcome of thiscomparison, based on the opinion of the bus users, has shownthemdispleased with the quality of the service provided by the bus companies operating in both cities. It is urgent the need to find possible practical alternatives to minimize the consequences of the main problems detected in this work. With these practical alternatives available, we will be able to offer to the Rio de Janeiro State authorities- suggestions about possible solutions to the main problems identified in this survey, as well as the time of implantation and costs of these solutions.
Abstract: The significance of emissions from the road transport
sector (such as air pollution, noise, etc) has grown considerably in
recent years. In Australia, 14.3% of national greenhouse gas
emissions in 2000 were the transport sector-s share which 12.9% of
net national emissions were related to a road transport alone.
Considering the growing attention to the green house gas(GHG)
emissions, this paper attempts to provide air pollution modeling
aspects of environmental consequences of the road transport by using
one of the best computer based tools including the Geographic
Information System (GIS). In other word, in this study, GIS and its
applications is explained, models which are used to model air
pollution and GHG emissions from vehicles are described and GIS is
applied in real case study that attempts to forecast GHG emission
from people who travel to work by car in 2031 in Melbourne for
analysing results as thematic maps.
Abstract: Organizational communication is an administrative
function crucial especially for executives in the implementation of
organizational and administrative functions. Executives spend a
significant part of their time on communicative activities. Doing his or her daily routine, arranging meeting schedules, speaking on the telephone, reading or replying to business correspondence, or
fulfilling the control functions within the organization, an executive typically engages in communication processes.
Efficient communication is the principal device for the adequate implementation of administrative and organizational activities. For
this purpose, management needs to specify the kind of
communication system to be set up and the kind of communication
devices to be used. Communication is vital for any organization.
In conventional offices, communication takes place within the hierarchical pyramid called the organizational structure, and is known as formal or informal communication. Formal communication
is the type that works in specified structures within the organizational rules and towards the organizational goals. Informal communication, on the other hand, is the unofficial type taking place among staff as
face-to-face or telephone interaction.
Communication in virtual as well as conventional offices is
essential for obtaining the right information in administrative
activities and decision-making. Virtual communication technologies
increase the efficiency of communication especially in virtual teams.
Group communication is strengthened through an inter-group central
channel. Further, ease of information transmission makes it possible
to reach the information at the source, allowing efficient and correct decisions. Virtual offices can present as a whole the elements of information which conventional offices produce in different
environments.
At present, virtual work has become a reality with its pros and
cons, and will probably spread very rapidly in coming years, in line
with the growth in information technologies.
Abstract: This study aimed to investigate the influence of selected antecedents, which were tourists’ satisfaction towards attractions in Bangkok, perceived value of the attractions, feelings of engagement with the attractions, acquaintance with the attractions, push factors, pull factors and motivation to seek novelty, on foreign tourist’s loyalty towards tourist attractions in Bangkok. By using multi stage sampling technique, 400 international tourists were sampled. After that, Semi Structural Equation Model was utilized in the analysis stage by LISREL. The Semi Structural Equation Model of the selected antecedents of tourist’s loyalty attractions had a correlation with the empirical data through the following statistical descriptions: Chi- square = 3.43, df = 4, P- value = 0.48893; RMSEA = 0.000; CFI = 1.00; CN = 1539.75; RMR = 0.0022; GFI = 1.00 and AGFI = 0.98. The findings indicated that all antecedents were able together to predict the loyalty of the foreign tourists who visited Bangkok at 73 percent.