When all information is not created equal

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2008.Includes bibliographical references (p. 191-196).Following Shannon's landmark paper, the classical theoretical framework for communication is based on a simplifying assumption that all information is equally important, thus aiming to provide a uniform protection to all information. However, this homogeneous view of information is not suitable for a variety of modern-day communication scenarios such as wireless and sensor networks, video transmission, interactive systems, and control applications. For example, an emergency alarm from a sensor network needs more protection than other transmitted information. Similarly, the coarse resolution of an image needs better protection than its finer details. For such heterogeneous information, if providing a uniformly high protection level to all parts of the information is infeasible, it is desirable to provide different protection levels based on the importance of those parts. The main objective of this thesis is to extend classical information theory to address this heterogeneous nature of information. Many theoretical tools needed for this are fundamentally different from the conventional homogeneous setting. One key issue is that bits are no more a sufficient measure of information. We develop a general framework for understanding the fundamental limits of transmitting such information, calculate such fundamental limits, and provide optimal architectures for achieving these limits. Our analysis shows that even without sacrificing the data-rate from channel capacity, some crucial parts of information can be protected with exponential reliability. This research would challenge the notion that a set of homogenous bits should necessarily be viewed as a universal interface to the physical layer; this potentially impacts the design of network architectures. This thesis also develops two novel approaches for simplifying such difficult problems in information theory. Our formulations are based on ideas from graphical models and Euclidean geometry and provide canonical examples for network information theory. They provide fresh insights into previously intractable problems as well as generalize previous related results.by Shashibhushan Prataprao Borade.Ph.D

An End to the Odyssey: Equal Athletic Opportunities for Women

I. Preface Princess and maids delighted in that feast; then, putting off their veils, they ran and passed a ball to a rhythmic beat. 1 So Homer, c. 800 B.C., sings of Princess Nausikaa before she befriends Odysseus near a stream on the island of Skheria. Homer\u27s adventurer ac- cepts his royal rescuer\u27s game of her own without surprise. Three millen- nia later, many American colleges are still unsure how men and women can have as equal a chance to pass a ball against other colleges as to parse the epic of Odysseus and Penelope in their classrooms. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 2 which bans sex dis- crimination in all education programs that receive federal financial assistance, should have assured those opportunities. Almost a quarter-century later, however, its promise is still unfulfilled, 3 and major litigation to define its application to athletics has begun only recently. These delays have created an air of crisis, division, and anger on many campuses. Because most college presidents and athletic directors do not know what Title IX requires, they frequently overestimate the difficulties of compliance. In my experience, supporters of men\u27s collegiate teams are espe- cially likely to lack clear information, and to be frustrated with what they believe are overly rigid obligations. Yet a generation\u27s delay in enforcement has led women student-athletes and their coaches to view compliance with increasing urgency. We should be asking why equal opportunity has been so long in com- ing. When we ask instead ..

Technological Diversity in Finance

The dissertation consists of two chapters on measuring firms technological profile. Patent data can be grouped into two primary generations. The first generation lead by the work of Schmookler (1966), Scherer (1982), and Griliches (1984), and the second generation led by Trajtenberg, Jaffe, and Henderson (1997) and Kogan et al. (2016). When combined, both generations data spans from nearly 1926-2010 and has made a meaningful impact on innovation research. In the first chapter, I propose a third generation of patent data. The third generation of patent data has two distinct contributions. First, it extends patent-firm ownership information beyond 2010 to 2016. The new dataset uses the established connections of previous datasets and builds on that information with additional data on firm names gathered from EDGAR. Second, it takes advantage of the information contained in the text of patents using text analysis. Using text analysis allows for greater flexibility over traditional measures. The second chapter investigates how ownership structure affects firm value. The previous literature has assumed more innovation is better, meaning the more innovation a business creates; the better off it is in the long-run. However, not all innovations are created equal. We contribute to the literature by investigating how institutional investors change future innovation, not in quantity, but diversity. Using several unique measures of technological diversification created from firm-level patent data, we show that institutional investors increase the focus on a firm’s future innovation. Our results are robust to the classification scheme. Ultimately, our results indicate institutional investors create value by encouraging firms to build on prior knowledge

Technological Diversity in Finance

The dissertation consists of two chapters on measuring firms technological profile. Patent data can be grouped into two primary generations. The first generation lead by the work of Schmookler (1966), Scherer (1982), and Griliches (1984), and the second generation led by Trajtenberg, Jaffe, and Henderson (1997) and Kogan et al. (2016). When combined, both generations data spans from nearly 1926-2010 and has made a meaningful impact on innovation research. In the first chapter, I propose a third generation of patent data. The third generation of patent data has two distinct contributions. First, it extends patent-firm ownership information beyond 2010 to 2016. The new dataset uses the established connections of previous datasets and builds on that information with additional data on firm names gathered from EDGAR. Second, it takes advantage of the information contained in the text of patents using text analysis. Using text analysis allows for greater flexibility over traditional measures. The second chapter investigates how ownership structure affects firm value. The previous literature has assumed more innovation is better, meaning the more innovation a business creates; the better off it is in the long-run. However, not all innovations are created equal. We contribute to the literature by investigating how institutional investors change future innovation, not in quantity, but diversity. Using several unique measures of technological diversification created from firm-level patent data, we show that institutional investors increase the focus on a firm’s future innovation. Our results are robust to the classification scheme. Ultimately, our results indicate institutional investors create value by encouraging firms to build on prior knowledge

Break Even Analysis of Mining Projects

The economics of the resources industry are unique. All mining is subject to uncertainties not applicable to other industries. Every mine is different. Industry economics are difficult to quantify and categorize. Information is very costly. In major mining countries, there is now a real dichotomy. The products of the minerals industry are essential primary ingredients in almost everything used in an advanced society, yet their availability is often taken for granted. In the developed world, the value of mining is increasingly being called into question. The difficulty in making profits is compounded by political uncertainties and environmental restrictions on top of the uncertainties created by nature. Costing and evaluation of any mining development are necessarily based on a specific plan, which has to be prepared assuming certain ore body characteristics. However ore bodies are seldom clearly defined, and the effort to find and delineate them is itself an economically significant task. The economics of mining will determine what parts are or are not included in the definition of ore. When mine economics change, the amount of material in the ground does not change, but the amount of economically viable ore does change. The amount of economically viable ore is also dependent on the assumptions used for its calculation and can change with a change in assumptions. The break-even point for a product is the point where total revenue received equals the total costs associated with the sale of the product. It has certain assumptions such as, selling prices will remain constant at all sales level, there is a linear relationship between sales volume and costs and production and sales quantities are equal. At the same time it suffers from certain limitations as break-even analysis is only a supply side (i.e. costs only) analysis, as it tells you nothing about what sales are actually likely to be for the product at these various prices

Working Paper: Measuring Job Creation in Private Sector Development

The Donor Committee for Enterprise Development (DCED) Standard offers a best practice by outlining the key elements for practically and credibly estimating the results of Private Sector Development programmes, in a process which can be managed by programmes internally. It involves a few common impact indicators to ensure that donors will be able to add up their results across country programmes. The Standard is being piloted on a multi-agency basis; the DCED invites new programmes to join in adopting the approach

Intellectual property rights and the Third World

Issues of generation, protection and exploitation of intellectual property (IP) are assuming increasing importance. The new IP regimes will have wide ranging socio-economic, technological and political impact. As per the obligations under the Traderelated Aspects of Intellectual Property Systems (TRIPS), all the members of World Trade Organization (WTO) are supposed to implement national systems of intellectual property rights following an agreed set of minimum standards. However, there is an increasing feeling that harmonization is demanded from those that are not equal, either economically or institutionally. The major concerns of the Third World about such harmonization and the new challenge it faces in diverse areas of intellectual property protection are discussed and some suggestions about the way ahead are made. The discussion includes the need for a fair play in technology transfer, creation of 'favourable economics' of essential medicines from the point of view of the Third World, protection of traditional knowledge, etc. The creation of Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (an essentially Indian initiative) and linking it to the International Patent Classification System (IPC) through a Traditional Knowledge Resource Classification System is an important conceptual step forward. The possible models for material transfer and benefit sharing when products are created based on community knowledge are also discussed. Other discussions include the challenge of bridging the divide between the Third World and other developed nations, with special emphasis on intellectual property information sharing, capacity building with creation of appropriate physical and intellectual infrastructure and awareness building. It is argued that the Third World should negotiate a new 'TRIPS plus' which means 'TRIPS plus equity and ethics'

Drawing Lines: A Public Interest Guide to Real Redistricting Reform

Provides an overview of independent redistricting, and suggests key components for inclusion. Proposes criteria for an Independent Redistricting Commission. Includes lessons from independent commissions in Arizona, Iowa, New Jersey, and Washington State