2008 (Fall) ENSI Informer Magazine

The ENSI Informer Magazine published in the fall of 2008

Automated verification complex for mobile communication systems

Надані основні результати, отриманні при розробці, виготовленні та експериментальному дослідженні автоматизованого повірочного комплексу для систем мобільного зв’язку. Розроблений комплекс дозволяє здійснювати оцінку відповідності та періодичну повірку СВТТР і СШПООІ, які використовуються операторами мобільного зв’язку, що дає змогу забезпечити правильність розрахунків між споживачем та постачальником телекомунікаційних послуг

Land Use Change from Non-urban to Urban Areas

This reprint is related to land-use change and non-urban and urban relationships at all spatiotemporal scales and also focuses on land-use planning and regulatory strategies for a sustainable future. Spatiotemporal dynamics, socioeconomic implication, water supply problems and deforestation land degradation (e.g., increase of imperviousness surfaces) produced by urban expansion and their resource requirements are of particular interest. The Guest Editors expect that this reprint will contribute to sustainable development in non-urban and urban areas

What Determines Firm Size?

Motivated by theories of the firm, which we classify as technological' or organizational,' we analyze the determinants of firm size across industries and across countries in a sample of 15 European countries. We find that, on average, firms facing larger markets are larger. At the industry level, we find firms in the utility sector are large, perhaps because they enjoy a natural, or officially sanctioned, monopoly. Capital intensive industries, high wage industries, and industries that do a lot of R&D have larger firms, as do industries that require little external financing. At the country level, the most salient findings are that countries with efficient judicial systems have larger firms, and, correcting for institutional development, there is little evidence that richer countries have larger firms. Interestingly, institutional development, such as greater judicial efficiency, seems to be correlated with lower dispersion in firm size within an industry. The effects of interactions (between an industry's characteristics and a country's environment) on size are perhaps the most novel results in the paper, and are best able to discriminate between theories. As the judicial system improves, the difference in size between firms in capital intensive industries and firms in industries that use little physical capital diminishes, a finding consistent with size of firms in industries dependent on external finance is larger in countries with better financial markets, suggesting that financial constraints limit average firm size.

The liberalisation of media and communications in Portugal

The Socialist government led by António Guterres (1995-1999) has thus inherited highly reformed but poorly regulated media and telecommunications sectors, and - so far - no structural communications policies were either announced or introduced. Basically, the Guterres government is following EU policies, attempting to strengthen existing regulatory bodies, and trying to improve a number of legal instruments. In this paper, we will start by presenting an historical perspective of the Portuguese media and telecommunications. Then, we shall look at the internal and external factors which partly explain the structural changes introduced in both sectors during the Cavaco Silva’s governments. After putting forward some of the most relevant aspects of the PSD communications reforms, we will turn our attention to the political intervention of the first Guterres’ government in this arena

Just Tell Me The Rules! Or When Did The Rules Change?

Anne is an experienced direct marketer. Just promoted to CEO, Anne proves to be naïve in managing The ABC Catalog Company, despite her twenty years of experience with the company. She prefers to set simple, straightforward rules for her direct reports to follow. Her management philosophy has been influenced by advice from her mentor and by her personal experiences working with her direct reports when they were her colleagues. According to Anne “The big picture is for her (and perhaps her newly-appointed and trusted CFO, Jeff) to worry about.” Anne feels that many of her direct reports are incapable or unwilling to deal with the inevitable trade-offs that senior management must make, especially as new trends emerge. Yet she is unwilling to undergo a major management shake-up. Anne’s management approach backfires as the industry faces limits to growth and the company’s long-standing business model is tested. As management bonuses plummet and the parent company starts to meddle by bringing in consultants, the Merchandising SVP, Brad, sees his best career opportunity. He is frustrated with the diminished role Anne has allotted him and the perception that his nemesis, Jeff, is the heir apparent. That is supposed to be Brad’s destiny. His ego cannot take the slight. Brad takes the ultimate gamble, bringing his self-serving scenario of what ails The ABC Catalog Company to the parent company’s attention

Open Access Theory

In dieser Diplomarbeit wird untersucht, ob die Anwendung der Open Access Theorie in der Regulierungspolitik von öffentlichen Versorgungsunternehmen Wettbewerb fördern und Anreize für Infrastrukturinvestitionen schaffen kann. Im ersten Teil der Arbeit (Kapitel 2 & 3) wird die historische Bedeutung von Versorgungsunternehmen im Rahmen von Schumpeters Kondratjew-Zyklus Theorie analysiert. Daran schließt sich eine theoretische Beschreibung der Funktionsweise von Versorgungsunternehmen an. Der zweite Teil (Kapitel 4) beschreibt die globale Veränderung von rechtlich geregelten Monopolen zu marktwirtschaftlichen Organisationen. Dieser Reformprozess implizierte die Neudefinition der traditionellen staatlichen Aufgaben, die die Bereitstellung von Infrastruktursystemen als einer ihrer Kernfunktionen betrachtete. Wie in der Fallstudie zum österreichischen Telekommunikationssektor gezeigt wird, fand hier keine Trennung zwischen den nicht-wettbewerbsfähigen und den kompetitiven Segmenten statt, was den ursprünglich angestrebten Wettbewerb verhinderte. In dieser Situation wurden Investitionen in die Netzwerkinfrastruktur extrem unattraktiv. Im letzten Teil (Kapitel 5) wird der Open Access Ansatz als mögliche Lösung des oben genannten Problems diskutiert. Der Open Access Ansatz fördert Wettbewerb, womit der Zugang zur Infrastruktur auf einer nichtdiskriminierenden Grundlage gewährleistet wird. In Anbetracht der langfristigen Rendite von Infrastrukturinvestitionen begünstigt Open Access Infrastrukturkooperationen mit geringerem Risiko, geringeren Gesamtkosten und der optimalen Ausnützung von Ressourcen. Nur eine zuverlässige und zukunftssichere Netzwerkinfrastruktur, die auf den Prinzipien des Open Access und der Netzneutralität aufbaut, kann wegen ihrer klaren Bedingungen Investitionen und Innovationen fördern. Die Essenz dieser Arbeit ist, dass Wettbewerb unter Open Access steigende Investitionen und Innovationen zum Vorteil von Verbrauchern und Unternehmern fördert, was sich letztendlich auch in einem höherem Wirtschaftswachstum widerspiegelt.The main purpose of this thesis is the analysis of the application of the open access theory to public utility regulation policy and its capacity to improve competition and the creation of incentives for infrastructure investments. In the first part (chapter 2 & 3) the historic significance of public utilities in the context of Schumpeter’s Kondratiev Cycle theory is analysed. This is followed by a description of the of the theoretical approaches to the functioning of public utilities. The second part (chapter 4) deals with the global shift from legally enforced monopolies to a greater reliance on market mechanisms. This reform process implied a re-definition of traditional state responsibilities, which included the financing and provision of critical infrastructure systems as one of their core functions. As shown in the case study on the Austrian telecommunications sector, the non-separation of non-competitive infrastructure segments did not lead to the initially desired fair competition. Moreover, this led to a situation where investments into infrastructure became very unattractive. In the final part (chapter 5) the open access theorem is introduced, showing that it constitutes a possible solution to the above-mentioned problems. Only the open access approach favours competition by providing access to the infrastructure on a nondiscriminatory basis. Open access has also the advantage to favour infrastructure cooperations, which in the light of the long return periods for infrastructure investments ensure lower risk and lower total costs, as well as optimised utilisation of resources. A reliable and future proof network infrastructure based on the open access and network neutrality principles is therefore most likely to promote investment and innovation by setting clear conditions. This thesis proves that competition under the open access paradigm is essential for increasing investments and innovation in the network infrastructure for the benefit of both consumers and businesses, ultimately leading into higher economic growth

Las Vegas Daily Optic, 07-08-1905

https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/lvdo_news/2261/thumbnail.jp

The effectiveness of state intervention in the South African electronics industry

The objective of this dissertation is to assess the effectiveness of state intervention in the South African electronics industry. In order to assess the impact of the various policies implemented by the government, a nation wide survey, which encompassed 270 firms in the industry, was undertaken. The data collected suggests that the state has been unsuccessful in its attempt to develop the industry. It was confirmed that, in comparison with many other developing countries, its growth has been slow and that it continues to rely heavily on imports and foreign technology. One of the reasons for this lack of success is argued to be the lack of any meaningful interaction between government and the industry. Based on the findings of the survey, the major recommendation to emerge is that the government should, in consultation, modify specific policies to promote the establishment of a dynamic, resilient and internationally competitive industry. Chapter One outlines the important role played by the electronics industry in the process of economic development. The industry is depicted as being central to the process of industrialisation in South Africa and its positive effect on productivity in other sectors is stressed. Chapter Two outlines two forms of interventionist policy with which the state can influence the industry's development. Both trade and technology policy, by providing the structures with which to protect and subsidise the industry, play a decisive role in the development of a technology intensive industry. Chapter Three deals with the methodology of the nationwide survey of the electronics industry in South Africa. In Chapter four the industry's development is assessed and various data pertaining to production and value added are evaluated. It is found that it relies heavily on imports and that production constitutes less than 30 percent of the sector's market value. Chapter Five provides an overview of current state policy with regard to the electronics industry. It is noted that the state has used various measures to· stimulate its growth, including providing tariff protection from imports, tax deductible allowances, long-term loans, and grants. Furthermore, a number of groups and committees whose task it is to monitor and make recommendations affecting the industry, have been established. The various reasons for the industry's limited development are examined in Chapter Six. This analysis draws largely on empirical data obtained in the survey and focuses on the effectiveness of various state policies. The survey highlighted that skilled labour shortages, high cost structures, technological dependence, and the lack of exports, all account for the slow growth of the industry. chapter. seven examines policy alternatives for the further development of the local industry. These include proposals from the state sector, those made by respondents in the survey and those gleaned from international experience. Final recommendations and conclusions, reached in the course of the dissertation, are made in Chapter Eight