Fast and stable contour integration for high order divided differences via elliptic functions

In this paper, we will present a new method for evaluating high order divided differences for certain classes of analytic, possibly, operator valued functions. This is a classical problem in numerical mathematics but also arises in new applications such as, e.g., the use of generalized convolution quadrature to solve retarded potential integral equations. The functions which we will consider are allowed to grow exponentially to the left complex half plane, polynomially to the right half plane and have an oscillatory behaviour with increasing imaginary part. The interpolation points are scattered in a large real interval. Our approach is based on the representation of divided differences as contour integral and we will employ a subtle parameterization of the contour in combination with a quadrature approximation by the trapezoidal rule

Welfare Measures and Mandatory Regulation for Transgenic Food in the European Union: A Theoretical Framework for the Analysis

This paper presents an analytical framework for studying the impact of mandatory labelling regulation for transgenic food. We compare Genetically Modified (GM) and conventional crop markets and identify gains for food processors prior to mandatory labelling and losses after this measure for the GM market. Nevertheless, food processors could obtain gains for conventional products after market disgregation. Finally, consumers will be worse off both for conventional and GM foods unless qualities other than changes to prices are considered.welfare, mandatory labelling, transgenic, genetically modified organism, European Union policy, Agricultural and Food Policy, Q18, K32, D62,

Equisingularity classes of birational projections of normal singularities to a plane

Given a birational normal extension S of a two-dimensional local regular ring R, we describe all the equisingularity types of the complete ideals J in R whose blowing-up has some point at which the local ring is analytically isomorphic to S. The problem of classifying the germs of such normal surface singularities was already posed by Spivakovsky (Ann. of Math. 1990). This problem has two parts: discrete and continous. The continous part is to some extent equivalent to the problem of the moduli of plane curve singularities, while the main result of this paper solves completely the discrete part.Comment: 22 pages, 3 figures. To appear in Advances in Mathematic

FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED: AN ANALYSIS OF PIONEER AND FOLLOWER FIRMS' MARKET AND NONMARKET ACTIONS IN THE EUROPEAN MOBILE TELEPHONE INDUSTRY

This study examines the relationship between erosion of the first-mover’s market share and the differences in competitive behaviour of pioneer firms and followers. Particularly, we pay particular attention to market actions related to innovation, pricing and promotion, and to non-market actions related to judicial issues. The empirical study has been carried out with companies that are present in a dynamic context, such as the European mobile telephone industry. Our results show that when followers take more non-market actions than pioneers the negative effect on the firstentrant’s advantage is more significant. On the contrary, we have not found a significant impact of innovating and pricing actions.

The creation and transfer of entrepreneurship in emerging economies of the world. An approach through large family-owned corporations of China, Mexico and Brazil

This article analyses the process of creation and transfer of entrepreneurial competitive advantages in large family firms of three dynamic emerging economies of the 21st century: Brazil, Mexico and China. It does so by studing path dependencies and the creation of dynamic capabilities in three case studies: Pao de Açúcar (Brazil), Grupo Carso (Mexico) and Hutchison Whampoa (China). The interdisciplinary perspective of the article enables a long-term analysis of entrepreneurship, and facilitates the study of one important topic of debate in family business studies: the generational transfer of the so-called entrepreneurial spirit. The results of the article show on the one hand that existing historically determined institutions ruling local and global markets, and also inherited practices and values, have highly conditioned the strategies used to create and transfer entrepreneurship between generations in some of the largest family firms in Brazil, China and Mexico

The Fragility of Democracy: The Rise of Authoritarianism in Hungary and Poland

Hungary and Poland have attempted to establish democratic systems of government since the end of Soviet occupation in 1991. Recently, both states have elected leaders who have started to manipulate their democratic institution into one that seems not so democratic; both Hungary and Poland have manipulated their judicial branch into one that now serves only their own interests. Leaders in Hungary and Poland have shown their support for regimes such as those in Russia, China, and Turkey. What factors contribute to democratically elected officials shifting towards authoritarianism in post Eastern-Bloc countries? From Samuel P Huntington’s Clash of Civilizations, to Levitsky and Ziblatt’s How Democracies Die, scholars have examined key factors that contribute to the stability and downfall of democracies. This thesis examines the countries of Hungary and Poland, whose democracies are in decline. The study expected a correlation between the loss of democracy in Hungary and Poland, as a result of their recent history as satellite states of the USSR. The case study found no direct correlation between the two countries’ history as part of the Eastern-Bloc; their authoritarian leaders were able to exploit the weaknesses of Hungary and Poland in the precise ways that allowed them to gain more power

The Contemporary Human Resources Function

Abstract Current companies encounter important challenges day to day. Many factors such as the economic globalization, the change in the way of working, the Internet boom, and the importance that the service sector is experiencing nowadays influence the new society in which persons and businesses actually cope. Each of these contingencies obligates the Human Resource function to adapt to new organizational goals moulding their strategies and tactics to the in fashion topics. In this work we present the classical functions integrated in the Human Resources department constituting its base of performance. We also deal equally with the high performance practices and the importance that is acquiring the binomial human resources management strategies – business performance such as new tendencies applicable in this area.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech