Abstract: Metropolitan areas have suffered from traffic problems, which have steadily increased in many monocentric cities. Urban expansion, population growth, and road network development have resulted in a structural shift toward urban sprawl, increasing commuters’ dependence on private modes of transport. This paper aims to model the influence of socioeconomic and land-use factors on mode choice using a multinomial and nested logit model. Land-use patterns—such as residential, commercial, retail, educational and employment related—affect the choice of mode and destination in the short and medium term. Socioeconomic factors—such as age, gender, income, household size, and house type—also affect choice, while residential location is affected in the long term. Riyadh in Saudi Arabia and Melbourne in Australia were chosen as case studies. Riyadh is a car-dependent city with limited public transport, whereas Melbourne has good public transport but an increase in car dependence. Aggregate level land-use data and disaggregate level individual, household, and journey-to-work data are used to determine the effects of land use and socioeconomic factors on mode choice. The model results determined that urban sprawl is the main factor that affects mode choice, income, and house type.
Abstract: Fish-feed is a major cost component of operating expenses for any aquaculture farm. Due to soaring prices of fish-feed ingredients, the need for better feeding schedule management has become imperative. On such factor that influences the utilization rate of fish-feed are sea currents. Up to now, practical monitoring of fishfeed loss due to sea currents is not exercised. This paper gives a description of an economic methodology that aims at quantifying the amount of fish-feed lost due to sea currents and draws on data from a Mediterranean aquaculture farm to formulate the associated model.
Abstract: This study assessed fish marketing as panacea towards
sustainable agriculture in Ogun State, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling
technique was used in the selection of 150 fish marketers for this
study. Descriptive statistics were used for the objectives while
Product Pearson Moment Correlation was used to test the hypothesis.
Result of the findings revealed that the mean age of the respondents
was 38.60 years. Majority (93.33%) of the respondents had
acceptable levels of formal education. Many (44.00%) of the
respondents had spent 1-5 years in fish marketing. The average
quantity of fish sold in a day was 94.10kg. However, efficient fish
marketing were hindered by inadequate processing equipment,
storage rooms and ice holding facilities (86.67%). There was a
significant relationship between socio-economic characteristics and
profit realized from fish marketing (p < 0.05). It was recommended
that storage and warehousing facilities should be provided to the fish
marketers in the study area.
Abstract: Sugarcane bagasses are one of the most extensively used agricultural residues. Using acid hydrolysis and fermentation, conversion of sugarcane bagasses to lactic acid was technically and economically feasible. This research was concerned with the solubility of lignin in ammonium hydroxide, acid hydrolysis and lactic acid fermentation by Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Lactobacillus casei. The lignin extraction results for different ammonium hydroxide concentrations showed that 10 % (v/v) NH4OH was favorable to lignin dissolution. Acid hydrolysis can be enhanced with increasing acid concentration and reaction temperature. The optimum glucose and xylose concentrations occurred at 121 ○C for 1 hour hydrolysis time in 10% sulphuric acid solution were 32 and 11 g/l, respectively. In order to investigate the significance of medium composition on lactic acid production, experiments were undertaken whereby a culture of Lactococcus lactis was grown under various glucose, peptone, yeast extract and xylose concentrations. The optimum medium was composed of 5 g/l glucose, 2.5 g/l xylose, 10 g/l peptone and 5 g/l yeast extract. Lactococcus lactis represents the most efficient for lactic acid production amongst those considered. The lactic acid fermentation by Lactococcus lactis after 72 hours gave the highest yield of 1.4 (g lactic acid per g reducing sugar).
Abstract: In many countries, digital city or ubiquitous city
(u-City) projects have been initiated to provide digitalized economic
environments to cities. Recently in Korea, Kangwon Province has
started the u-Kangwon project to boost local economy with digitalized
tourism services. We analyze the limitations of the ubiquitous IT
approach through the u-Kangwon case. We have found that travelers
are more interested in quality over speed in access of information. For
improved service quality, we are looking to develop an
IT-convergence service design framework (ISDF). The ISDF is based
on the service engineering technique and composed of three parts:
Service Design, Service Simulation, and the Service Platform.
Abstract: The given work is devoted to the description of
Information Technologies NAS of Azerbaijan created and
successfully maintained in Institute. On the basis of the decision of
board of the Supreme Certifying commission at the President of the
Azerbaijan Republic and Presidium of National Academy of
Sciences of the Azerbaijan Republic, the organization of training
courses on Computer Sciences for all post-graduate students and
dissertators of the republic, taking of examinations of candidate
minima, it was on-line entrusted to Institute of Information
Technologies of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan.
Therefore, teaching the computer sciences to post-graduate
students and dissertators a scientific - methodological manual on
effective application of new information technologies for research
works by post-graduate students and dissertators and taking of
candidate minima is carried out in the Educational Center.
Information and communication technologies offer new
opportunities and prospects of their application for teaching and
training. The new level of literacy demands creation of essentially
new technology of obtaining of scientific knowledge. Methods of
training and development, social and professional requirements,
globalization of the communicative economic and political projects
connected with construction of a new society, depends on a level of
application of information and communication technologies in the
educational process. Computer technologies develop ideas of
programmed training, open completely new, not investigated
technological ways of training connected to unique opportunities of
modern computers and telecommunications. Computer technologies
of training are processes of preparation and transfer of the
information to the trainee by means of computer. Scientific and
technical progress as well as global spread of the technologies
created in the most developed countries of the world is the main
proof of the leading role of education in XXI century. Information
society needs individuals having modern knowledge. In practice, all
technologies, using special technical information means (computer,
audio, video) are called information technologies of education.
Abstract: The field of polymeric biomaterials is very important
from the socio-economical viewpoint. Synthetic carbohydrate
polymers are being increasingly investigated as biodegradable,
biocompatible and biorenewable materials. The aim of this study was
to synthesize and characterize some derivatives based on D-mannose.
D-mannose was chemically modified to obtain 1-O-allyl-2,3:5,6-di-
O-isopropylidene-D-mannofuranose and 1-O-(2-,3--epoxy-propyl)-
2,3:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-D-mannofuranose.
The chemical structure of the resulting compounds was
characterized by FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy, and by HPLC-MS.
Abstract: For scores of years now, several microfinance
organizations, non governmental organizations and other welfare
organizations have, with a view to aiding the progress of
communities rooted in poverty have been focusing on creating
microentrepreneurs, besides taking several other measures. In recent
times, business corporations have joined forces to combat poverty by
taking up microenterprise development. Hindustan Unilever Limited
(HUL), the Indian subsidiary of Unilever Limited exemplifies this
through its Project Shakti. The company through the Project creates
rural women entrepreneurs by making them direct to home sales
distributors of its products in villages that have thus far been ignored
by multinational corporations. The members participating in Project
Shakti are largely self help group members. The paper focuses on
assessing the impact made by the company on the members engaged
in Project Shakti. The analysis involves use of quantitative methods
to study the effect of Project Shakti on those self help group
members engaged in Project Shakti and those not engaged with
Project Shakti. Path analysis has been used to study the impact made
on those members engaged in Project Shakti. Significant differences
were observed on fronts of entrepreneurial development, economic
empowerment and social empowerment between members associated
with Project Shakti and those not associated with Project Shakti.
Path analysis demonstrated that involvement in Project Shakti led to
entrepreneurial development resulting in economic empowerment
that in turn led to social empowerment and that these three elements
independently induced a feeling of privilege in the women for being
associated with the Project.
Abstract: Public housing is a vital factor in community
development. Successful city, housing and eco system regeneration
design is essential in providing positive community development.
This concerns work places, nice dwellings, providing premises for
child care, care of the elderly, providing qualitative premises for
different kinds of commercial service, providing a nice built
environment and housing areas and not the least activating tenants.
The public housing companies give value to society by stimulating
people, renovating socially and economically sustainable as well as
being partners to local business and authorities. By their activities the
housing companies contribute to sustainable local and regional
growth and the identity and reputation of cities. A Social, Economic
and Ecological Reputation Effect (SEERE) model for actions to
promote housing and community reputation is presented. The model
emphasizes regenerative actions to restore natural eco systems as part
of housing renewal strategies and to strengthen municipality
reputation.
Abstract: This paper explores the social and political imperatives in the sphere of public policy relating to social justice. In India, the colonial legacy and post-colonial social and political pressures sustained the appropriation of 'caste' category in allocating public resources to the backward class of citizens. For several reasons, 'economic' category could not be placed in allocating resources. This paper examines the reasons behind the deliberative exercises and formulating policies and seeks an alternative framework in realizing social justice in terms of a unified category. This attempt can be viewed as a reconciliation of traditional and modern values for a viable alternative in public policy making.
Abstract: Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) play an important role in many economies. In New Zealand, for example, 97% of all manufacturing companies employ less than 100 staff, and generate the predominant part of this industry sector-s economic output. Manufacturing SMEs as a group also have a significant impact on the environment. This situation is similar in many developed economies, including the European Union. Sustainable economic development therefore needs to strongly consider the role of manufacturing SMEs, who generally find it challenging to move towards more environmentally friendly business practices. This paper presents a systems thinking approach to modelling and understanding the factors which have an influence on the successful uptake of environmental practices in small and medium sized manufacturing companies. It presents a number of causal loop diagrams which have been developed based on primary action research, and a thorough understanding of the literature in this area. The systems thinking model provides the basis for further development of a strategic framework for the successful uptake of environmental innovation in manufacturing SMEs.
Abstract: The Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy, bestowed
by His Majesty the King Bhumibol Adulyadej to the people of
Thailand, highlights a balanced way of living. Three principles of
moderation reasonableness, and immunity, along with the conditions
for morality and knowledge, can be applied to any level of the
society–from an individual to the nation. The Philosophy of
Sufficiency Economy helps address the current development
challenges, which are issues on institutions, environmental
sustainability, human well-being, and the role of the government.
Abstract: Extensive research has been devoted to economic
production quantity (EPQ) problem. However, no attention has been
paid to problems where production period length is constrained. In
this paper, we address the problem of deciding the optimal
production quantity and the number of minor setups within each
cycle, in which, production period length is constrained but a minor
setup is possible for pass the constraint. A mathematical model is
developed and Iterated Local Search (ILS) is proposed to solve this
problem. Finally, solution procedure illustrated with a numerical
example and results are analyzed.
Abstract: Megalopolis is a group of densely populated metropolitan areas that combine to form an urban complex. Since China introduced the economic reforms in late 1970s, the Chinese urban system has experienced unprecedented growth. The process of urbanisation prevailed in the 1980s, and the process of predominantly large city growth appeared to continue through 1990s and 2000s. In this study, the magnitude and pattern of urbanisation in China during 1990s were examined using remotely sensed imagery acquired by TM/ETM+ sensor onboard the Landsat satellites. The development of megalopolis areas in China was also studied based on the GIS analysis of the increases of urban and built-up area from 1990 to 2000. The analysis suggests that in the traditional agricultural zones in China, e.g., Huang-Huai-Hai Plains, Changjiang River Delta, Pearl River Delta and Sichuan Basin, the urban and built-up areas increased by 1.76 million hectares, of which 0.82 million hectares are expansion of urban areas, an increase of 24.78% compared with 1990 at the national scale. The Yellow River Delta, Changjiang River Delta and Pearl River Delta also saw an increase of urban and built-up area by 63.9%, 66.2% and 83.0% respectively. As a result, three major megalopolises were developed in China: the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong- Macau (Pearl River Delta: PRD) megalopolis area, the Shanghai- Nanjing-Hangzhou (Changjiang River Delta: CRD) megalopolis area and the Beijing-Tianjing-Tangshan-Qinhuangdao (Yellow River Delta-Bohai Sea Ring: YRD) megalopolis area. The relationship between the processed of megalopolisation and the inter-provincial population flow was also explored in the context of social-economic and transport infrastructure development in Post-reform China.
Abstract: Gauteng, as the province with the greatest industrial and population density, the economic hub of South Africa also generates the greatest amount of waste, both general and hazardous. Therefore the province has a significant need to develop and apply appropriate integrated waste management policies that ensure that waste is recognised as a serious problem and is managed in an effective integrated manner to preserve both the present and future human health and environment. This paper reflects on Gauteng-s waste outlook in particular the province-s General Waste Minimisation Plan and its Integrated Waste Management Policy. The paper also looks at general waste generation, recyclable waste streams as well as recycling and separation at source initiatives in the province. Both the quantity and nature of solid waste differs considerably across the socio-economic spectrum. People in informal settlements generate an average of 0.16 kg per person per day whereas 2 kg per day is not unusual in affluent areas. For example the amount of waste generated in Johannesburg is approximately 1.2 kg per person per day.
Abstract: This survey of recent literature examines the link between growth and poverty. It is widely accepted that economic growth is a necessary condition for sustainable poverty reduction. But it is the fact that the economic growth of some countries has been pro-poor while others not. Some factors such as labor market, policies and demographic factors may lead to a weak relationship between economic performance and poverty rate. In this sense pro-growth policies should be pro-poor to increase the poverty alleviation effects of the growth. The purpose of this study is to review the recent studies on the effects of macroeconomic policies on poverty and inequality and to review the poverty analyses which examine the relationship between growth, poverty and inequality. Also this study provides some facts about the relationship between economic growth, inequality and poverty from Turkey. Keywordseconomic growth, inequality, macroeconomic policy, poverty
Abstract: Automatic reusability appraisal could be helpful in
evaluating the quality of developed or developing reusable software
components and in identification of reusable components from
existing legacy systems; that can save cost of developing the software
from scratch. But the issue of how to identify reusable components
from existing systems has remained relatively unexplored. In this
paper, we have mentioned two-tier approach by studying the
structural attributes as well as usability or relevancy of the
component to a particular domain. Latent semantic analysis is used
for the feature vector representation of various software domains. It
exploits the fact that FeatureVector codes can be seen as documents
containing terms -the idenifiers present in the components- and so
text modeling methods that capture co-occurrence information in
low-dimensional spaces can be used. Further, we devised Neuro-
Fuzzy hybrid Inference System, which takes structural metric values
as input and calculates the reusability of the software component.
Decision tree algorithm is used to decide initial set of fuzzy rules for
the Neuro-fuzzy system. The results obtained are convincing enough
to propose the system for economical identification and retrieval of
reusable software components.
Abstract: Development of knowledge based society carries multiple challenges to the higher education system. Some of the challenges laid before the higher education sector of countries which aspire to become knowledge based societies are: the entrepreneurial leadership of the higher education institutions, finding new sources of financing in order to minimize dependence on public resources, creating connections with the labor market, commercial utilization of R&D results, promotion of innovations as well as the overall promotion of science excellence relevant to the economic sector. Within a framework of this paper and its main subject of research, the challenge which is being put before the higher education institutions is an effort of establishing regional mission of higher education through the open collaboration with regional key factors, both private and public. Development of the mentioned collaboration and its contribution to the overall regional development in Croatia is the main subject of empirical research in this paper.
Abstract: Amphawa is the most popular weekend destination for
both domestic and international tourists in Thailand. More than 112
homestays and resorts have been developed along the water
resources. This research aims to initiate appropriate environmental
management system for riverside tourist accommodations in
Amphawa by investigating current environmental characteristics.
Eighty-eight riverside tourist accommodations were survey from
specific questionnaire, GPS data were also gathered for spatial
analysis. The results revealed that the accommodations are welled
manage in regards to some environmental aspects. In order to reduce
economic costs, energy efficiency equipment is utilized. A substantial
number of tourist accommodations encouraged waste separation,
followed by transfer to local administration organization. Grease
traps also utilized in order to decrease chemical discharged, grease
and oil from canteen and restaurants on natural environment. The
most notable mitigation is to initiate environmental friendly cleansers
for tourist accommodation along the riverside in tourism destinations.
Abstract: We intend to point out the differences which exist
between the classical Gini concentration coefficient and a proposed
bipolarization index defined for an arbitrary random variable which
have a finite support.
In fact Gini's index measures only the "poverty degree" for the
individuals from a given population taking into consideration their
wages. The Gini coefficient is not so sensitive to the significant
income variations in the "rich people class" .
In practice there are multiple interdependent relations between the
pauperization and the socio-economical polarization phenomena. The
presence of a strong pauperization aspect inside the population
induces often a polarization effect in this society. But the
pauperization and the polarization phenomena are not identical. For
this reason it isn't always adequate to use a Gini type coefficient,
based on the Lorenz order, to estimate the bipolarization level of the
individuals from the studied population.
The present paper emphasizes these ideas by considering two
families of random variables which have a linear or a triangular type
distributions. In addition, the continuous variation, depending on the
parameter "time" of the chosen distributions, could simulate a real
dynamical evolution of the population.