Longitudinal Dispersion of Pollutants in Natural Streams - The Aggregated Dead-Zone Approach

The Aggregated Dead-Zone (ADZ) model provides a simple dynamic description of pollutant transportation and dispersion in a non-tidal river system and is an alternative to the well-known but more complicated advection-dispersion model. This paper presents the results obtained from the application of the model in a river system. The study shows the general form of functional relationships between the second order ADZ model parameters and stream discharge. In addition, more conventional hydrological analysis has yielded valuable information about the hydraulic characteristics of the reaches and has allowed for useful comparisons between these and the ADZ model parameter

Electronic customer relationship management (E-CRM) features: Comparing two football clubs (Manchester United & Chelsea FC)

Electronic customer relationship management (e-CRM) is a vital activity of sports marketing that allows building longterm relationship between companies and its customers or fans.This paper examines the content analysis ofthe websites of two football clubs (FC), Manchester United (MU) and Chelsea, focusing specifically on the e-CRM features on the websites. The different use of e-CRM features in both MU and Chelsea FCs are highlighted.The findings demonstrate that both FC teams utilize some of the e-CRM features

Factors influencing cloud computing adoption in small and medium enterprises

Cloud computing offers information technology (IT) infrastructure, platform, and various applications via the Internet with minimum start-up cost, network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources, and pay-per-use services. Although the potential for cloud computing is evident and much of the extant research has been carried out on cloud computing adoption, empirical studies on the factors that influence cloud computing adoption in the Malaysian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are, however, lacking. The objective of this study was to examine the factors that influence cloud computing adoption by the SMEs.We conducted a quantitative survey-based study to examine the relationship between perceived benefits, top management support, IT resources, external pressure, and cloud computing adoption.A free-form comment provided at the end of each section of the survey questionnaire was treated as qualitative data. We find that IT resources and external pressure significantly influence cloud computing adoption. Nonetheless, there is not enough evidence to support perceived benefits and top management support as significant factors of cloud computing adoption

Technological and Economic Evaluation of Solid Waste Scavenging and Recycling Practices

Existing solid waste scavenging and recycling practices in the Klang Valley, Malaysia were investigated through personal visits and field surveys to landfill sites, trading companies and factories involved in recycling. Collection of recyclable material has long been practised in landfill sites as it provides good additional income. Dealers of scrap and recyclable items who operate at the landfill sites provide a source of supply to manufacturing concerns. Glass recycling industries benefit greatly by using recycled cullet, which improves fuel efficiency. Major economic, technical and other constraints related to recycling are discussed

Impact of air pollution on health in Klang Valley, Malaysia

In Malaysia, as in other parts of the world, air pollution has recently been receiving priority among environmental issues. The ambient atmospheric conditions have been progressively deteriorating due to unprecedented growth in urbanization, number of motor vehicles and continuous industrial development. Monitoring data and studies on ambient air quality show that the ambient air quality of the country is clean in general but some of the air pollutants in several large cities especially in Klang Valley, the most densely populated area, are increasing with time and are not always at acceptable levels according to the national ambient air quality standards. This research employed contingent valuation method (CVM) to estimate the willingness to pay of the respondents to avoid the illness episodes due to air pollution. To evaluate the impact of additional information on the willingness to pay (WTP) of the respondents, different sub-samples were presented with contingent valuation scenarios offering different levels of information. One sub-sample was given the cause of ill-health episodes and the policy to be implemented to remedy the cause of the ill-health episodes (context version). Another sub-sample was asked to value the avoidance of episodes of ill-health, but was not given any details of the cause of the episodes nor the policy that would be implemented to remedy the cause of ill-health episodes (non-context version). The study has found that the inclusion of additional information in the presentation of scenarios in contingent valuation exercises significantly influenced WTP for the avoidance of ill-health episodes. The average mean value of WTP of the respondents for the context version was higher than that of the non-context version i.e. RM154 for the context version and RM134 for the non-context version. Since, WTP to avoid the ill-health episodes cannot be shown to be independent of the context in which it is valued, the validity of transferring benefits of avoided ill-health episodes from one country to another must be called into question and the results of the study will not allow decision makers to apply the estimated values for the avoidance of ill-health episodes in the consideration of policies with very different context

Development Of Municipal Solid Waste Generation And Recyclable Components Rate Of Kuala Lumpur: Perspective Study.

This paper presents a forecasting study of municipal solid waste generation (MSWG) rate and potential of its recyclable components in Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia. The generation rates and composition of solid wastes of various classes such as street cleansing, landscape & garden, industrial & constructional, institutional, residential and commercial are analyzed

Position Tracking Of Automatic Rack And Pinion Steering Linkage System Through Hardware In The Loop Testing

VehicIe handling behavior is much influenced by the performance of steering system and its mechanism. Steering linkage play a very important role in maneuvering of a vehicle. In this paper, a set of kinematic relations of rack and pinion steering linkage system are modeled in MATLAB SIMULINK environment based on kinematic model equations is presented in study tile relationship between steering wheel angle and tire angle. A Hardware-in-the-loop simulations (HILS) test rig with actual rack and pinion mechanism has been set up using XPC TARGET environment, LVDT and encoder sensors installed for data measurement at various steering angle. Results from simuIation model demonstrate a linear pattern occurred from maximum lock-to-lock steering wheel angle and it is closely follow the sine input trend through HILS experiment with acceptable error

MODELING AND VALIDATION OF SIX-BAR RACK AND PINION STEERING LINKAGE SYSTEM

A vehicle handling behavior is much influenced by the performance of steering system and its mechanism. Steering linkage play a very important role in maneuvering of a vehicle. In this paper, a planar six-bar rack and pinion steering linkage is modeled in MATLAB SIMULINK to study the relationship between steering wheel angle and tire angle. A set of kinematic relations of steering system is used to analyze the kinematics of a planar linkage. The steering system consists of rack and pinion, tie rod end, tire and steering wheel column are modeled in MATLAB SIMULINK environment based on kinematic model equations is presented. The model is then validated using Hardware-in-the-loop simulations (HILS) consists of LVDT and rotary encoder sensors installed in actual steering system for data measurement at various steering angle. Results from simulation model has been developed demonstrates a linear pattern occurred from maximum lock-to-lock steering wheel angle and it’s closely follow the trend through HILS experiment

Modelling the drivers of cloud computing use for SME businesses

This study proposes a model of the drivers of cloud computing use for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia.The research model is developed based on technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework and diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory.It is proposed that the use of cloud computing is being influenced by relative advantage, compatibility, and complexity (from the technological context), CEO’s innovativeness, top management support, and technology readiness (from the organizational context), and competitive pressure (from the environmental context).A sequential explanatory mixed methods is used for data collection.The findings will contribute to knowledge in cloud computing, especially in regards to cloudbased technologies used by the SMEs and the drivers of use. The findings will also assist the government agencies in accelerating the use of cloud computing among the SMEs and extending the full benefits of cloud computing to sustain the competitiveness of the SMEs