Cross-cultural impact on the budgeting cycle: a preliminary analysis of Anglo-American and Libyan companies operating in Libyan oil sector

[Abstract]: Globalization is causing the rapid integration of markets, nations, and technology, which facilitates faster contact between people, corporations, and nations. However, there is a failure to notice cultural differences that exist between workforces across nations. Thus all staff needs to have cultural sensitivity, which could be helped by studying cross-cultural differences. Current understanding of how and why specific budget aspects and budgeting processes are different could be attributed to cultural differences. This study utilizes societal cultural dimensions identified by Hofstede to identify differences in budgets and budgeting process between Libyan and Anglo-American companies operating in Libyan oil sector. Some preliminary analysis is discussed

Elastic Stress Distribution in Square Plates Weakened by a Large Central Elliptical or Circular Notch

The main objective for this investigation is to examine the applicability of the finite difference method in obtaining the elastic stress distribution in a square plate weakened by a large elliptical or circular notch. A square mesh is used with maximum subdivisions as allowed by the storage capacity of the computer available at South Dakota State University. The nodal points of the mesh are placed in such a way as to give an approximate outline of the circular or elliptical shape. The plates under study are simply supported along two edges and free along the other two, and subjected to uniform compression. Two types of notches are introduced at the center of the plate; one is circular and the other is elliptical in shape. With the aid of the electronic computer and the utilization of the finite difference technique principal stress contours in each plate are obtained. These stress contours for both the circular and the elliptical notches are compared. Such comparison will assist the structural designer in obtaining the more efficient type of notch. The stress distribution analysis consists of computing the following: (1) normal stresses acting in the x and y directions. (2) Shearing stress acting on the xy-plane. (3) Major and minor principal stresses and their orientations with respect to the x-axis. These quantities are computed at each nodal point through-out the section of plate. The finite difference computations are carried out with the aid of an electronic computer. The computer output for the stress distribution was printed out using a special board so that the results are shown on the actual plan shape of the plate section under consideration. This permitted stress contours to be drawn within the outline of the section. The solutions presented in this work provide a valuable source of information for future investigations. This analysis is of particular importance in the determination of buckling loads for plates identical to those investigated in this study

Elastic Stress Distribution in and Stability of Rectangularly Notched Plates Axially Loaded by Uniform Compression

In recent years, the design of notched members has been a challenge to structural, mechanical and aeronautical engineers. Notched members are frequently used in the aircraft, missiles, automobile, and ship building industries where available space is limited to a minimum. More often notches are needed for various other reasons as the passage of electrical wire bundles, hydraulic and air conduits or other structural members. Sometimes a notch serves as a lightening measure or as an inspection access opening. More precise solutions in determining the critical buckling loads are needed to replace guess and approximate solutions. This is due to the fact that stress concentrations in plates become large in magnitude especially in the notch vicinity, even for very simple loading conditions. An analysis of the elastic stress distribution is the first step leading to the theoretical determination of the elastic buckling load of a plate member. The main objective of this investigation is to obtain the critical buckling load of a thin elastic rectangular notched plate simply supported along two edges and free along the other two edges, and subjected to uniform longitudinal compression. Four plates with the same overall dimensions but different notch dimensions are under consideration. One side of the rectangular notches is held constant while the other side is varied. A graph can then be plotted for the critical buckling coefficient verses the aspect ratios of the notch

New Insights on Avoiding the Causes of Projects Delays: A Framework

In this paper, we study and analyze the reasons behind the delay of some projects. Our aim is shed light on how one reduces the effect of the different obstacles and improves achievement either in quality or time. Different challenges play the main reasons in the stalled project including planning, designing, construction, and weak leaders or poor administrative decisions. We focus on developing a framework that helps in improving the management of the projects and finishing the projects on time. This includes developing a contingency plan and coordination mechanism between internal and external stakeholders. Following the steps of the methodology will help project managers to avoid project delay and solve the problems of the staled ones. Finally, we represent some managerial insights and recommendations that related parties should follow with the projects

Mapping inundation from sea level rise and its interaction with land cover in the Sundarbans mangrove forest

The sea level rise (SLR) in the Sundarbans areas is higher than the global-average rate of sea rise, and many studies assume that most of the dry land of the Sundarbans will be inundated by the end of the twenty-first century. This study aims to analyze the amount of dry land that can potentially be inundated by SLR in Sundarbans and the impact under different land cover conditions. Four SLR scenarios, a digital elevation data grid, and net subsidence data are used to map areas that will be potentially inundated by 2100. Results for the low (35 cm), mid (52 cm), high (70 cm), and extreme (147 cm) SLR scenarios indicate that the Sundarbans landmass area will be flooded up to 40 km(2) (1%), 72 km(2) (1.8%), 136 km(2) (3.4%), and 918 km(2) (23%), respectively, under the current net subsidence rate of -2.4 mm/year by 2100. Except for the extreme scenarios, the low, mid, and high SLR will result in riverbank and beach areas to be covered by water. The potential inundation areas of different vegetation cover classes that already exist today (2020) will be nominal for the low, mid, and high SLR scenarios. We also analyzed the sensitivity of the results through station-based SLR data, which fits with the low (35 cm) SLR scenarios under the -2.4 mm/year subsidence rate. This study concluded that the inundation aspect of SLR will not directly affect the Sundarbans; however, indirectly related threats and anthropogenic disturbances can be major drivers of the Sundarbans' degradation by the end of the twenty-first century. This work discusses reasonable inundation scenarios integrating SLR and subsidence with a custom land-cover map that includes three forest-density categories. The study's findings contribute to forest management planning and support the UN goals of the Bangladesh Delta Plan

On zero divisors, invertibility and rank of matrices over commutative semirings

Poluprsten sa nulom i jedinicom je algebarska struktura, koja generališe prsten. Naime, dok prsten u odnosu na sabiranje čini grupu, poluprsten čini samo monoid. Nedostatak oduzimanja čini ovu strukturu znatno težom za istraživanje od prstena. Predmet izučavanja u ovoj tezi predstavljaju matrice nad komutativnim poluprstenima (sa nulom i jedinicom). Motivacija za istraživanje je sadržana u pokušaju da se ispita koje se osobine za matrice nad komutativnim prstenima mogu proširiti na matrice nad komutativnim poluprstenima, a takodje, što je tesno povezano sa ovim pitanjem, kako se svojstva modula nad prstenima prenose na polumodule nad poluprstenima. Izdvajaju se tri tipa dobijenih rezultata. Najpre se proširuju poznati rezultati, koji se tiču dimenzije prostora n-torki elemenata iz nekog poluprstena na drugu klasu poluprstena od do sada poznatih i ispravljaju neke greške u radu drugih autora. Ovo je pitanje u tesnoj vezi sa pitanjem invertibilnosti matrica nad poluprstenima. Drugi tip rezultata se tiče ispitivanja delitelja nule u poluprstenu svih matrica nad komutativnim poluprstenima i to posebno za klasu inverznih poluprstena (to su poluprsteni u kojima postoji neka vrste uopshtenog inverza u odnosu na sabiranje). Zbog nepostojanja oduzimanja, ne može se koristiti determinanta, kao što je to u slučaju matrica nad komutativnim prstenima, ali, zbog činjenice da su u pitanju inverzni poluprsteni, moguće je definisati neku vrstu determinante u ovom slučaju, što omogućava formulaciju odgovorajućih rezultata u ovom slučaju. Zanimljivo je da se za klase matrica za koje se dobijaju rezultati, levi i desni delitelji nule mogu razlikovati, što nije slučaj za komutativne prstene. Treći tip rezultata tiče se pitanja uvodjenja novog ranga za matrice nad komutativnim poluprstenima...Semiring with zero and identity is an algebraic structure which generalizes a ring. Namely, while a ring under addition is a group, a semiring is only a monoid. The lack of substraction makes this structure far more difficult for investigation than a ring. The subject of investigation in this thesis are matrices over commutative semirings (wiht zero and identity). Motivation for this study is contained in an attempt to determine which properties for matrices over commutative rings may be extended to matrices over commutative semirings, and, also, which is closely connected to this question, how can the properties of modules over rings be extended to semimodules over semirings. One may distinguish three types of the obtained results. First, the known results concerning dimension of spaces of n-tuples of elements from a semiring are extended to a new class of semirings from the known ones until now, and some errors from a paper by other authors are corrected. This question is closely related to the question of invertibility of matrices over semirings. Second type of results concerns investigation of zero divisors in a semiring of all matrices over commutative semirings, in particular for a class of inverse semirings (which are those semirings for which there exists some sort of a generalized inverse with respect to addition). Because of the lack of substraction, one cannot use the determinant, as in the case of matrices over commutative semirings, but, because of the fact that the semirings in question are inverse semirings, it is possible to define some sort of determinant in this case, which allows the formulation of corresponding results in this case. It is interesting that for a class of matrices for which the results are obtained, left and right zero divisors may differ, which is not the case for commutative rings. The third type of results is about the question of introducing a new rank for matrices over commutative semirings..

Assessing Service Quality at Optical Centers in Palestine Using SERVQUAL: Measuring Ambiguity

The main purpose of this article is to employ the SERVQUAL model to assess customers’ perceptions and expectations of service quality in the optical centers in the West Bank of Palestine, and to examine the impact of this service quality on their satisfaction. A focused critical review of the service quality literature was undertaken. Data was collected from a convenient and purposeful sample of 251 customers of optical centers in the West Bank via personally administered and online questionnaires. Data was analyzed, with the aid of SPSS, using descriptive and inferential statistics, including the Mann-Whitney test, the Kruskal-Wallis test, regression analysis, and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The findings indicate that SERVQUAL proved to be a good tool for the purpose of assessing the gaps between customers’ expectations and perceptions of the service quality of optical centers in the Palestinian context. The findings also confirmed that customers had higher service quality expectations than perceptions in all the five dimensions of SERVQUAL. The developed regression analysis model shows that tangibles, reliability, assurance, and empathy had a significant statistical impact on customers’ satisfaction. No studies, to the best knowledge of the authors, were conducted on customers’ perceptions and expectations of service quality in the optical centers in the Palestinian context. Limitations of the study’s methodology and findings were discussed and avenues for further research suggested. The findings of this study could be valuable to interested parties including optometry regulators and managers of optical centers

Successful MRI-Guided Focused Ultrasound Uterine Fibroid Treatment Despite an Ostomy and Significant Abdominal Wall Scarring

We present a case of successful magnetic resonance imaging-guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) of a uterine fibroid in a patient with extensive anterior abdominal wall surgical scars from two longitudinal laparotomies, a total colectomy and ileostomy. This case demonstrates that MRgFUS can be safely used in patients with an ostomy and significant abdominal wall scarring, but careful pretreatment planning and positioning during treatment is needed