IMAGE ACQUISTION AND PROCESSING FOR FACILITY LOAD FORECASTING

Described are systems, methods, computer programs, and user interfaces for image location, acquisition, analysis, and data correlation. Results obtained via image analysis are correlated to non-spatial information. For example, images of regions of interest of the Earth are used for facility load forecasting. Companies operating critical infrastructure across global supply chains (e.g. port terminals, warehouses) or the vehicles moving between those infrastructure sites (e.g. ships, trucks) have little operational visibility outside of the domains they control. Traffic changes at upstream or downstream sites can create unpredictable slowdowns or activity spikes for a company’s own operations, which result in significant operational inefficiencies. The systems and methods of the present disclosure provide these companies with visibility into other key infrastructure nodes across the transportation/logistics system that impact loads on their own facilities. With a better understanding of the flows and choke points across the system, companies can more effectively optimize operations to match expected loads and incur significant efficiency savings. Keywords associated with the present disclosure include: image acquisition, satellite imagery drone imagery, facility load forecasting, facility load

The effect of acquisition synergy on firm performance moderated by firm reputation

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the impact of the operating synergy, financial synergy and firm reputation toward firm performance in merger and acquisition processes. This study also examines how firm reputation moderates the impact of operating synergy and financial synergy toward firm performance. The object of this research are companies involved in mergers and acquisitions between 2010 and 2016. Design/methodology/approach: The purposive sampling method is used to select the research sample. The descriptive statistical test, outlier test and hypothesis test is used to analyze the data using e-eviews program. The study assumed Buy and Hold Abnormal Return (BHAR) as the performance to measure a successful acquisition, and the factors that have an impact on acquisition performance are taken as being operating synergy, financial synergy and firm reputation. Findings: The results of this study show that by maximizing the operating synergy and firm reputation, this can improve the BHAR of an acquisition event, and a firm will a weak reputation can strengthen the BHAR by maximizing the operating synergy. Practical implications: These findings will be very helpful to management to maximize their firm performance using merger and acquisition as their strategy and firm reputation as their intangible resources. Originality/value: This article provides a new insight of acquisition research as to how firm reputation moderates the impact of acquisition synergy to achieve firm performance.peer-reviewe

Serbia - public sector accounting review : report on the enhancement of public sector financial reporting

The government’s public financial management (PFM) Reform Program 2016-2020 foresees the gradual transition of public sector financial reporting from a cash basis to an accrual basis of accounting and the application of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS). This will significantly improve the quality of financial information and should enable better informed decision-making, more efficient use of public funds and resources and improved fiscal performance. This Report on the Enhancement of Public Sector Financial Reporting is one output of the Serbia Public Sector Accounting Reform Technical Assistance project funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) through the Strengthening Accountability and Fiduciary Environment (SAFE) Trust Fund under the Public Sector Accounting and Reporting Program (PULSAR) which provides support for the development and implementation of public sector accounting standards. This report supports the development of a plan towards that goal by assessing the institutional framework for public sector accounting as well as the gap between Serbian public sector generally accepted accounting principles (PS GAAP) and IPSAS

Information Gathering, Disclosure and Contracting in Competitive Markets

The paper studies the determinants of information gathering in insurance and credit markets. In our set-up, information may have either operational or strategic value, e.g. it may improve allocative decisions or allow agents to appropriate a larger share of gains from trade at the contracting stage. The timing of information gathering is endogenous and agents can gather information either before or after contracting. Access to precontractual information generates a negative contracting externality, which was first identified in Hirshleifer.s (1971) seminal contribution. In contrast with a well established conventional wisdom and a substantial literature, we prove that, if the operational value of information is positive and not "too small", private returns of information fall short of its social returns, and pre-contractual access to information leads to under-investment . On the contrary, agents over-invest in information gathering activities, when the operational value of the available signals is sufficiently low. Consistently with contractual arrangements observed in the real world, we also show that equilibrium contracts have also a very simple shape when private information can be voluntarily disclosed.private information, information gathering, value of information

A conceptual framework for changes in Fund Management and Accountability relative to ESG issues

Major developments in socially responsible investment (SRI) and in environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues for fund managers (FMs) have occurred in the past decade. Much positive change has occurred but problems of disclosure, transparency and accountability remain. This article argues that trustees, FM investors and investee companies all require shared knowledge to overcome, in part, these problems. This involves clear concepts of accountability, and knowledge of fund management and of the associated ‘chain of accountability’ to enhance visibility and transparency. Dealing with the problems also requires development of an analytic framework based on relevant literature and theory. These empirical and analytic constructs combine to form a novel conceptual framework that is used to identify a clear set of areas to change FM investment decision making in a coherent way relative to ESG issues. The constructs and the change strategy are also used together to analyse how one can create favourable conditions for enhanced accountability. Ethical problems and climate change issues will be used as the main examples of ESG issues. The article has policy implications for the UK ‘Stewardship Code’ (2010), the legal responsibilities of key players and for the ‘Carbon Disclosure Project’

Signal conditioning circuit apparatus

A signal conditioning circuit is described including operational amplifier, a variable source of offset potential, and four resistive impedance. The circuit has constant input impedance independent of gain and offset adjustments. Gain change is effected by varying one of the impedances in an amplifier feedback circuit; offset adjustment is effected through variation of the offset potential source

Insurance of operational risk under the New Basel Capital Accord

Risk management

Managing a portal of digital web resources by content syndication

As users become more accustomed to continuous Internet access, they will have less patience with the offering of disparate resources. A new generation of portals is being designed that aids users in navigating resource space and in processing the data they retrieved. Such portals offer added value by means of content syndication: the effort to have multiple, federated? resources co-operate in order to profit optimally from their synergy. A portal that offers these advantages, however, can only be of lasting value if it is sustainable. We sketch a way to set up and run an organisation that can manage a content syndication portal in a sustainable way.\ud \u

Corporate governance in Turkey: implications for investments and growth

Background Paper for Turkey’s Investment Climate Assessment 200

Delivering Better Housing and Employment Outcomes for Offenders on Probation

The report ‘Delivering better housing and employment outcomes for offenders on probation’ presents the findings of qualitative research which included fieldwork in six probation areas with professionals involved in the delivery of housing, employment, training and education