Trustworthy Refactoring via Decomposition and Schemes: A Complex Case Study

Widely used complex code refactoring tools lack a solid reasoning about the correctness of the transformations they implement, whilst interest in proven correct refactoring is ever increasing as only formal verification can provide true confidence in applying tool-automated refactoring to industrial-scale code. By using our strategic rewriting based refactoring specification language, we present the decomposition of a complex transformation into smaller steps that can be expressed as instances of refactoring schemes, then we demonstrate the semi-automatic formal verification of the components based on a theoretical understanding of the semantics of the programming language. The extensible and verifiable refactoring definitions can be executed in our interpreter built on top of a static analyser framework.Comment: In Proceedings VPT 2017, arXiv:1708.0688

The impact of consumer loss aversion on pricing

"Wir analysieren das optimale Verhalten eines profitmaximierenden Monopolisten mit stochastischen Produktionskosten, der an rationale, verlustaverse Konsumenten verkauft. Hierzu entwickelt der Beitrag übertragbare Techniken, die es erlauben, die Nachfrage von verlustaversen Konsumenten herzuleiten, und bestimmt die optimale Preissetzungsstrategie des Monopolisten. Ein Konsument empfindet einen Verlust, wenn er den von ihm gezahlten Kaufpreis mit erwarteten niedrigeren Preisen des Monopolisten vergleicht. Dieser Verlust reduziert die Zahlungsbereitschaft des Konsumenten und senkt somit seine Nachfrage. Der Beitrag zeigt auf, unter welchen Bedingungen eine Firma mit kontinuierlich verteilten Grenzkosten diesen 'Vergleichseffekt' (lokal) eliminiert, indem sie eine diskrete Preisverteilung wählt - also, eine Preisverteilung mit Preisstarrheit. Diese Preisstarrheit tritt umso eher auf, je höher die Dichte der Kostenverteilung, je niedriger die Nachfrageelastizität oder je größer die Kaufwahrscheinlichkeit des Konsumenten ist. Unabhängig davon, ob die optimale Preisverteilung Preisstarrheit aufweist oder nicht, schwächt der Monopolist diesen Vergleichseffekt ab in dem er antizyklische Preisaufschläge verlangt. Auf der anderen Seite führt die Kauferwartung des Konsumenten dazu, dass er einen Verlust realisiert, wenn er das Gut nicht konsumieren kann. Eine höhere Kauferwartung führt somit zu einer höheren Zahlungsbereitschaft des Konsumenten. Daher kann es trotz der Tendenz zur Preisstarrheit auch Umstände geben, unter denen eine Unternehmung mit fixen Grenzkosten zufällige 'Sonderangebote' macht, welche die Kauferwartung des Konsumenten erhöhen und somit mehr Nachfrage bei höheren Preisen generieren." (Autorenreferat)"We develop a model in which a profit-maximizing monopolist with uncertain cost of production sells to loss-averse, yet rational, consumers. We first introduce (portable) techniques for analyzing the demand of such consumers, and then investigate the monopolist's pricing strategy. Compared to lower possible purchase prices, paying a higher price in the firm's pricing distribution is assessed by consumers as a loss, decreasing demand for the firm's product. We provide conditions under which a firm with continuously distributed marginal cost responds by (locally) eliminating this 'comparison effect' and choosing a discrete price distribution; that is, prices are 'sticky'. Price stickiness is more likely to obtain when the cost distribution has high density, the price responsiveness of demand is low, or consumers are likely to purchase. Whether or not prices are sticky, the monopolist wants to at least mitigate the comparison effect, leading to countercyclical markups. On the other hand, if consumers expect to buy the product, they experience a loss if they end up not consuming it, increasing their willingness to pay for it. Thus, despite the tendency toward price stability, there are also circumstances in which a firm with unchanging cost offers random 'sales' to increase customers' expectation to consume, attracting more demand at higher prices." (author's abstract

Trade-off analysis in a wine market research in Hungary

Marketing managers are faced with numerous difficult tasks directed at assessing future profitability, sales, and market share for new product entries or modifications of existing products or marketing strategies. Each of the identified marketing problems may be addressed and solved using the trade-off analysis methodology. In addition, a trade-off based competitive strategy may be implemented by modifying the marketing mix, i.e., new product/concept identification, pricing, advertising and distribution. In this article the main steps of the model is shown in a study through the research of the Hungarian wine market. A set of wine attributes that are anticipated as the most important factors when buying wine were shown to respondents. These attributes included growing site, variety, quality and price. Each of the attributes was further divided into levels, e.g. growing site consisted of Csongrád, Mátraalja, Eger and Hajós-Baja, while other attributes had their particular levels according to their characteristics. Twenty out of the total combination of attributes were chosen and so call profile cards were made. Respondents were asked to rank order cards according to their preference, thus simulating a purchase situation. The analysis calculated the utility of each levels of attribute for all of the respondents

Environmentally benign asymmetric Michael addition to maleimides using mechanochemical activation

The preparation of chiral N-substituted succinimides is highly important since they are widely used intermediates in the pharmaceutical industry. Such compounds can be obtained by the Michael addition of nucleofiles to different maleimides. Since the environmental awareness is rising nowadays, there is a huge demand for sustainable synthetic methods that can be applied industrially. Carrying out reactions using efficient alternative activation is key to achieve environmentally friendly procedures. Asymmetric catalytic processes have been developed for Michael additions on maleimides using organocatalysts under batch conditions. Our aim was to carry out the implementation of mechanochemical activation in these reactions because of its huge benefits over the conventional methods, i.e. solvent-free conditions and significantly reduced reaction times. In the present study, we examined the impact of milling parameters through the test reaction of isobutyraldehyde and N-methylmaleimide. We set the goal to achieve similar conversion and enantioselectivity values as were obtained using thermal activation but without the addition of a solvent and under much less time. As a result of our studies, optimal conditions were determined to carry out the preparation of an N-substituted succinimide, which may be a significant step in the development of sustainable industrial synthetic methods of important pharmaceutical fine chemicals

Dry flower consumer behaviour in Hungary

A quantitative survey was conducted to find up-to-date information about today’s dry flower purchasing behaviour in Hungary. 130 questionnaires were filled in Kecskemet and in Hortus Hungaricus flower exhibition in Budapest. The data was analyzed by SPSS 11.5 statistical package program. Frequencies and cross tabs were calculated. Multivariate statistics (factor, correspondence analysis) were applied to find latent variables. ANOVA model revealed significant statistic differences. The questionnaires were filled mostly by women. The age and income were evenly distributed in the sample. Another goal of our research was to deep interview wholesaler and retailers. In the conclusions practical management suggestions are provided to both wholesalers and retailers, small and big shops alike. Up to date catalogues, direct marketing, wide choice are the key issues that retailers should consider

The Market of Functional Foods

In our work, we compare conventional foods with functional foods in terms of consumer perception. Nowadays, in addition to conventional foods, the production of functional foods is becoming more and more widespread globally, including in Hungary. Recently, there is a growing interest in so-called functional foods, hoping that these products are guaranteed to contain a slightly healthier nutrient composition than products made from conventionally (traditionally) grown ingredients. AIT this opens a new chapter in today s agricultural production and food production. Consumers are looking for functional foods that inspected and certified, can provide greater safety for consumers, as opposed to conventional foods. But like most healthy foods, functional foods represent a higher price than products that are considered the same in the category but are not "medicinal"