Competitive neutrality in forestry

„h States and Territories have agreed to apply competitive neutrality (CN) requirements to their commercial forestry activities. The implementation of CN varies between jurisdictions and encompasses some differences in approach. „h Several studies have pointed to underpricing of logs by State forest agencies in past years. Underpricing can affect the balance between public and private sector wood production. It can also affect the return the community achieves on its forest assets and may adversely influence agency investment and harvesting decisions. „h CN requires forest agencies to act more commercially, including covering all costs and earning a commercially acceptable rate of return on assets. This should reduce the likelihood of agencies underpricing logs, although difficulties in interpreting rates of return and related information can make it difficult to judge if logs have been sold at their full market value. „h To help assess compliance with CN, the market value of logs can be estimated by calculating their residual value ¡X a value derived by subtracting harvesting, transport and processing costs from prevailing international prices of processed wood products.competitive neutrality - forestry - log pricing

When employer brand image aids employee satisfaction and engagement

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to test whether employee characteristics (age, gender, role and experience) influence the effects of employer brand image, for warmth and competence, on employee satisfaction and engagement. Design/methodology/approach – Members of the public were surveyed as to their satisfaction and engagement with their employer and their view of their employer brand image. Half were asked to evaluate their employer’s “warmth” and half its “competence”. The influence of employee characteristics was tested on a “base model” linking employer image to satisfaction and engagement using a mediated moderation model. Findings – The base model proved valid; satisfaction partially mediates the influence of employer brand image on engagement. Age, experience gender, and whether the role involved customer contact moderate both the influence of the employer brand image and of satisfaction on engagement. Practical implications – Engagement varies with employee characteristics, and both segmenting employees and promoting the employer brand image differentially to specific groups are ways to counter this effect. Originality/value – The contexts in which employer brand image can influence employees in general and specific groups of employees in particular are not well understood. This is the first empirical study of the influence of employer brand image on employee engagement and one of few that considers the application of employee segmentation

Tunable Dipolar Capillary Deformations for Magnetic Janus Particles at Fluid-Fluid Interfaces

Janus particles have attracted significant interest as building blocks for complex materials in recent years. Furthermore, capillary interactions have been identified as a promising tool for directed self-assembly of particles at fluid-fluid interfaces. In this paper, we develop theoretical models describing the behaviour of magnetic Janus particles adsorbed at fluid-fluid interfaces interacting with an external magnetic field. Using numerical simulations, we test the models predictions and show that the magnetic Janus particles deform the interface in a dipolar manner. We suggest how to utilise the resulting dipolar capillary interactions to assemble particles at a fluid-fluid interface, and further demonstrate that the strength of these interactions can be tuned by altering the external field strength, opening up the possibility to create novel, reconfigurable materials.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figure

Brand personality: theory and dimensionality

Purpose: This paper aims to critique human personality as a theory underpinning brand personality and to propose instead a theory from human perception, and by doing so, to identify universally relevant dimensions. Design/methodology/approach: A review of published measures of brand personality, a re-analysis of two existing data bases and the analysis of one new database are used to argue and test for the dimensions derived from perception theory. Findings: Existing work on brand personality suggests 16 separate dimensions for the construct, but some appear common to most measures. When non-orthogonal rotation is used to re-analyse existing trait data on brand personality, three dimensions derived from signalling and associated theory can emerge: sincerity (e.g. warm, friendly and agreeable), competence (e.g. competent, effective and efficient) and status (e.g. prestigious, elegant and sophisticated). The first two are common to most measures, status is not. Research limitations/implications: Three dimensions derived from signalling and associated theory are proposed as generic, relevant to all contexts and cultures. They can be supplemented by context specific dimensions. Practical implications: Measures of these three dimensions should be included in all measures of brand personality. Originality/value: Prior work on brand personality has focussed on identifying apparently new dimensions for the construct. While most work is not theoretically based, some have argued for the relevance of human personality. That model is challenged, and an alternative approach to both theory and analysis is proposed and successfully tested

Cloning, purification and characterization of the 6-phospho-3-hexulose isomerase YckF from Bacillus subtilis

The enzyme 6-phospho-3-hexulose isomerase (YckF) from Bacillus subtilis has been prepared and crystallized in a form suitable for X-ray crystallographic analysis. Crystals were grown by the hanging-drop method at 291 K using polyethylene glycol 2000 monomethylether as precipitant. They diffract beyond 1.7 A using an in-house Cu Kalpha source and belong to either space group P6(5)22 or P6(1)22, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 72.4, c = 241.2 A, and have two molecules of YckF in the asymmetric unit

The wood properties of subtropical and tropical hardwood plantation timber grown for high-value products in Australia

Wood quality and properties of plantation grown trees differ from those from mature, natural grown trees and this has implications for processing, manufacturing and product performance. The wood properties of genetically improved and syliculturally managed plantation trees are affected by their faster growth rates younger harvest age. This report summarises the key wood properties of species that are the primary candidates for plantation forestry in the subtropical to tropical region of eastern Australia. The planned end uses for these trees vary from short-rotation pulp to high-value products such as poles, sawn timber for appearance products and engineered wood products including structural plywood and laminated veneer lumber (LVL)

The experience of individuals with renal failure participating in home haemodialysis: An interpretative phenomenological analysis

This study explored the experience of individuals with renal failure undertaking home haemodialysis (HHD). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six participants who were active HHD users in a UK region. Participants’ accounts were transcribed verbatim and analysed using an interpretative phenomenological approach. Three main themes were identified: (1) embracing treatment and lifestyle freedom and flexibility; (2) re-establishing a sense of self and preferred self-identity; and (3) integrating aspects of active engagement and aspects of supported, life-sustaining dependence. A ‘good fit’ between the HHD user (an independent, self-determined health participant) and the healthcare provision (personalized, enabling) is proposed. </jats:p