RISK ANALYSIS OF CROPPING SYSTEMS USING EXPERIMENTAL CROPPING SYSTEM-FERTILIZER DATA

Using 11 years of experimental crop yields by cropping systems and fertilizer level, a MOTAD frontier was developed. This analysis allowed yield, cost, and stability interactions arising from crop sequences to be implicitly included. Target-MOTAD, Safety-First, and undominated stochastic efficient systems were also compared.Research Methods/ Statistical Methods, Risk and Uncertainty,

The Importance of Relationship development in the GCC region

The noun ‘Relationship’, is defined by Collins English Dictionary (2012) as 1. the state of being connected or related 2. association by blood or marriage; kinship 3. the mutual dealings, connections, or feelings that exist between two parties, countries, people, etc. a business relationship You can see from the above definition that there are several inferences that can be developed out of this single word. But is a relationship easily discernible? Are its dimensions opaque or transparent? Can it be easily contrasted simply by looking at it? Can it be evolved, grown, diminished, or separated? These are questions, if they are faced, they could make a simple word like ‘relationship’ look vague, abstract, and sometimes utterly confusing. In fact, discerning the intricate and delicate web of relationships is an art that requires not just looking at it from a single dimension but comprehending it through an experience in its entirety. Our client M/s Balfour Beatty Rail, UK (from now on as BBR) has chosen us as a three member team for our MBA company-based management project. Our aim is to analyse the importance of relationships in the Arab World, and analyse its critical dimensions. Currently, BBR’s culture, environment, organisational periphery, and business algorithms are different than what the Arab World requires as a pre-requisite for any business activity in the region. These pre-requisites are certain forms of relationships that are not easily understood in Western cultures. The region, as we have witnessed through our research, does accept Western ideas, concepts of development, and innovation but not at all at the expense of relationships (Hutchings and Weir, 2006). We felt very early in the project that these relationships, which are embedded in the socio-political and socio-cultural aspects of the region are seldom understood or even accepted by Western organisations and its people, normally resulting in bitter experiences of the region (Little, 2004). We also believe that BBR also has all the capabilities, competencies, legacy, and attributes that can help it be a winner in this region. But winning in the GCC market requires more than just competencies, abilities, or strengths (Kurian et al., 2012a). In our opinion the major ceteris paribus quotient of success within the region is about discerning and articulating the underlying relationships of the region (Hutchings and Weir, 2006), and so along with BBR’s competencies, resources, and presence the organisation needs to understand, accept, emulate, and develop viable relationships in the region. Our research identifies and analyses these elusive, opaque cultural aspects in the backdrop of evaluating the current and future rail infrastructure business development opportunities that have erupted in the region since 2006 and weaves together an argument for BBR’s immediate and long-term presence in the region along with the essential elements that should go with it

Integrating Extensive Listening into Coursework through Mobile-Assisted Language Learning

This action research project evaluates students’ use of mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) for an extensive listening (EL) module in a listening course over a 15-week semester. In EL, language learners listen to large amounts of high-interest content that is roughly within the “comfort zone” of their comprehension to improve such listening abilities as comprehension, vocabulary, confidence, and motivation. In this project, three classes of Japanese freshmen and sophomores (N=67) completed the module as part of their course homework. Students used mobile devices, primarily smartphones, to stream their choice of videos from a commercial website with an online library. Also, they carried out language learning tasks including listening comprehension, vocabulary recognition, and speaking. A mixed method design was employed to assess student use of the module and their attitudes toward using their smartphones for educational purposes. An online 21-item survey indicated that students recognized the benefits of EL but had mixed attitudes toward using their smartphones as an educational tool. Successful student engagement was tracked in forms of videos watching; lines from the videos, spoken aloud, and vocabulary items studied; suggesting a promising technology for language learning. In addition, the two most engaged and the two least engaged participants in each class were interviewed, indicating the importance of teachers monitoring students and encouraging them

The Importance of Relationship development in the GCC region

The noun ‘Relationship’, is defined by Collins English Dictionary (2012) as 1. the state of being connected or related 2. association by blood or marriage; kinship 3. the mutual dealings, connections, or feelings that exist between two parties, countries, people, etc. a business relationship You can see from the above definition that there are several inferences that can be developed out of this single word. But is a relationship easily discernible? Are its dimensions opaque or transparent? Can it be easily contrasted simply by looking at it? Can it be evolved, grown, diminished, or separated? These are questions, if they are faced, they could make a simple word like ‘relationship’ look vague, abstract, and sometimes utterly confusing. In fact, discerning the intricate and delicate web of relationships is an art that requires not just looking at it from a single dimension but comprehending it through an experience in its entirety. Our client M/s Balfour Beatty Rail, UK (from now on as BBR) has chosen us as a three member team for our MBA company-based management project. Our aim is to analyse the importance of relationships in the Arab World, and analyse its critical dimensions. Currently, BBR’s culture, environment, organisational periphery, and business algorithms are different than what the Arab World requires as a pre-requisite for any business activity in the region. These pre-requisites are certain forms of relationships that are not easily understood in Western cultures. The region, as we have witnessed through our research, does accept Western ideas, concepts of development, and innovation but not at all at the expense of relationships (Hutchings and Weir, 2006). We felt very early in the project that these relationships, which are embedded in the socio-political and socio-cultural aspects of the region are seldom understood or even accepted by Western organisations and its people, normally resulting in bitter experiences of the region (Little, 2004). We also believe that BBR also has all the capabilities, competencies, legacy, and attributes that can help it be a winner in this region. But winning in the GCC market requires more than just competencies, abilities, or strengths (Kurian et al., 2012a). In our opinion the major ceteris paribus quotient of success within the region is about discerning and articulating the underlying relationships of the region (Hutchings and Weir, 2006), and so along with BBR’s competencies, resources, and presence the organisation needs to understand, accept, emulate, and develop viable relationships in the region. Our research identifies and analyses these elusive, opaque cultural aspects in the backdrop of evaluating the current and future rail infrastructure business development opportunities that have erupted in the region since 2006 and weaves together an argument for BBR’s immediate and long-term presence in the region along with the essential elements that should go with it

A preliminary investigation into the validity of a submaximal protocol to predict one repetition maximum (1-RM) in the back squat

PURPOSE: To assess the validity of a submaximal protocol designed to predict the one repetition maximum (1-RM) in the free-weight back squat. Undertaking a 1-RM carries a risk of injury due to the maximal nature of the assessment, however, if a protocol and equipment can be used to accurately predict an individual’s strength through a submaximal assessment then this will negate the need to take athletes to maximal levels. METHODS: Fifteen resistance trained individuals (mean ± SD, stature: 178.0 ± 6 cm, body mass: 85.0 ± 11.3 kg 1-RM: 148.5 kg), were recruited. Participants completed two visits, the first a habituation of the protocol and the second, testing of a submaximal predication of 1-RM using the Flex laser optic device (www.flexstronger.com). The Flex software sets a series of progressive incremental loads based on a participant’s estimated 1-RM. At each load, the device captures concentric movement displacement and time, enabling the calculation of mean concentric velocity (MCV). Linear regression is then applied to the captured data between absolute load and attained MCV, facilitating the prediction of 1-RM. Following the Flex prediction, participants were blinded to the result and a standardised 1-RM protocol was followed, loading the bar in increments until the participant could no longer complete an unaided repetition. For all repetitions, participants were instructed to maintain eccentric control before completing the concentric phase as explosively as possible. Least products regression (LPR) were used to assess linearity and proportional bias, enabling quantification of validity between the two measures. Systematic and random error of the Flex were assessed by quantifying the 95% limits of agreement (LOA) between predicted and actual 1-RM data. RESULTS: Back squat mean and standard deviation for the predictive and actual 1-RM was 166.9 ± 52.1 kg and 1-RM was 148.5 ±46.1 kg, respectively. LOA from -21 to 52 kg indicate that on average the Flex submaximal protocol has a systematic error over predicting an individual's 1-RM by 15.5 kg, with a random error of 36.8 kg. Whilst the LPR between the predicted and actual measures resulted in an R2 ≥ 0.89 demonstrating a degree of similarity in the two values, the intercept, y = 16.01+(0.81* x)demonstrates that there appears to be proportional bias i.e. as strength increases the error also increases. CONCLUSION: The preliminary findings suggest that whilst there is a degree of correlation between the Flex predicted value and actual 1-RM, it does not provide a sufficiently valid measure of 1-RM strength for the free-weight back squat in trained individuals, generally over predicting 1-RM values. In addition, the random bias of the device increases in proportion to maximal strength. The sample size of 15 participants in the current study was small and therefore there is a need for further research using a larger participant pool in addition to the examination of the validity for the deadlift and bench-press lifts before full conclusions are drawn. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: At present, practitioners wanting to examine maximal strength levels for the free-weight back squat should continue to use conventional 1-RM protocols

ONLINE FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE AS AN ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM: EVIDENCE FROM THE WORLD´S TOP 100 NGOS

The expansion of the Third Sector in terms of size, scope, and its role in society has brought on a greater need for accountability and legitimacy. The disclosure of reports on financial and operating performance is a powerful tool for NGOs, allowing for a dialogue with their stakeholders as well as a resource in and of itself, given the vital part it plays in the acquisition of financial support. Parallel to this, the evolution and ever-expanding use of information technology facilitates the disclosure and diffusion of information to stakeholders around the world. The objective of this study is to evaluate the level of financial disclosure carried out by the world´s top 100 NGOs as per the Global Journal´s 2013 Ranking, employing a checklist based on related literature and collecting data from the reports made available online that concern the 2013 year. Correspondence and Homogeneity analysis showed that the total of contributions is associated with higher online financial disclosure, which suggests that organization size is associated with the capacity to respond to stakeholder demands for financial disclosure. Finally, the checklist created in this study stands to assist NGOs faced with the need for increased disclosure levels but limited by financial and human resource considerations

Visco-potential free-surface flows and long wave modelling

In a recent study [DutykhDias2007] we presented a novel visco-potential free surface flows formulation. The governing equations contain local and nonlocal dissipative terms. From physical point of view, local dissipation terms come from molecular viscosity but in practical computations, rather eddy viscosity should be used. On the other hand, nonlocal dissipative term represents a correction due to the presence of a bottom boundary layer. Using the standard procedure of Boussinesq equations derivation, we come to nonlocal long wave equations. In this article we analyse dispersion relation properties of proposed models. The effect of nonlocal term on solitary and linear progressive waves attenuation is investigated. Finally, we present some computations with viscous Boussinesq equations solved by a Fourier type spectral method.Comment: 29 pages, 13 figures. Some figures were updated. Revised version for European Journal of Mechanics B/Fluids. Other author's papers can be downloaded from http://www.lama.univ-savoie.fr/~dutyk

Theory of weakly damped free-surface flows: a new formulation based on potential flow solutions

Several theories for weakly damped free-surface flows have been formulated. In this paper we use the linear approximation to the Navier-Stokes equations to derive a new set of equations for potential flow which include dissipation due to viscosity. A viscous correction is added not only to the irrotational pressure (Bernoulli's equation), but also to the kinematic boundary condition. The nonlinear Schr\"odinger (NLS) equation that one can derive from the new set of equations to describe the modulations of weakly nonlinear, weakly damped deep-water gravity waves turns out to be the classical damped version of the NLS equation that has been used by many authors without rigorous justification

Doomsday

Individual Submission for Management Projec