Generic Strategies and Firm’s Performance in the Banking Sector

The main goal of the current study was to establish the relationship that exists between generic strategies and firm’s performance in the banking sector. The study reviewed literature on generic strategies employ by banks in Ghana in line with Porter’s typology. The researcher employed descriptive survey design and purely quantitative approach with data collected from 200 respondents. The outcome of the study revealed that cost leadership is the most outstanding competitive strategy, whilst overall differentiation and low cost strategies are most commonly used in the banking industry. The study concluded that generic strategies are the most influential competitive strategies for performance of banking firms in Ghana. The author recommended that all staff should remain focus in designing services that make them unique from others to achieve the overall differentiation strategy and make all staff be committed to cost control in all areas to achieve low cost strategy. Keywords: Generic Strategies, Strategies, Cost Leadership, Focus and Differentiatio

Investigation of brake squeal/self induced vibrations.

kebisingan brek hingar persatuan dengan ketidakstabilan dinamik dari sistem dan dikategorikan bergantung pada frekuensi untuk hingar quality (menjerit) dan rendah kebisingan (Mengerang). Pada frekuensi rendah (0-500kHz) model tongkat-slip digunakan untuk menyediakan disc-pad sistem yang diselesaikan dengan menggunakan kaedah ODE45 berangka dengan MATLAB perisian. Brake noise associates with the dynamic instability of the system and is categorized depending on the frequency to high noise (squeal) and low noise (groan). At low frequencies (0-500kHz) a stick-slip model was used to present the disc-pad system which is solved by using a numerical method ODE45 with MATLAB software

Studying the light current characteristics of VCSEL by changing oxide confinement aperture

GaAs-based VCSELs with oxide-confined (OC) are performed by using fine selective radial “oxidation of AlAs-rich (AlGaAs) layers” from outside to the device axis leaving the central part unaffected. Such oxide apertures produced inside the cavities enhance the radial confinements related to current spreading and to a field that is optical altogether. A Modern design with a single fundamental mode is proposed to reduce threshold current operation to the extent of higher output by using the two OC VCSELs. Both of the oxide apertures were added to the node position of the resonator standing wave. Then, the diameters of together apertures can be adjusted independently giving VCSEL design an extra degree of freedom that allows optimization. It found that when both apertures had a radius of 4.2 µm, the low threshold current operation at a higher extent output is achieved with a single fundamental mode

Electron Momentum Density in Nickel (Ni)

In this paper, Compton profile of (Ni) was Calculated by employing both the renormalized-free atom(RFA) model and free electron(FE) model setting several configurations in subset (3d-4s). The results were compared with recent data ,It shows that the RFA calculation in(3d8.8-4s1.2) gives a better agreement with experiment.The calculated data used for the first time also to compute the cohesive energy of Nickle and compared it with available data. The Band structure and Density of state of Nickel crystals(DFT-LDA) also calculated by using code Quantum wise.Keywords: Compton profile,Electron momentum density, Cohesive energy, Band structure, Density of state

Organic Solid Waste in Vessel Composting System

Low-level microbial activity due to the production of organic acids is a recognized problem during the initial phase of food waste composting. Increasing such activity levels by adjusting the pH values during the initial composting phase is the primary objective to be investigated. In this study, sodium acetate (NaoAc) was introduced as an amendment to an in-vessel composting system. NaoAc was added when the pH of the compost mixture reached a low level (pH < 5), the addition increased pH to 5.8. This had a positive effect on the degradation of organic materials i.e. the formation of methane gas compared to the results without NaoAc addition. The results also proved that anaerobic-aerobic in-vessel composting could reduce the large amounts of wastes by 33% -30%. However the addition of NaoAc had no significant influence on temperature profile, bulk density, electric conductivity (EC), moisture contents, Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium (NPK) and heavy metals )Cu, Cd, Ni, Pb) during the composting process, in fact heavy metals and (NPK) were below the maximum permissible levels of the Japanese organic farming and the USDA and US Compost Council standards . To assess the performance of the composting process, two small-scale digesters were used with fixed temperature. Maximum methane content of 68±1% and 75±1% by volume of the generated biogas was achieved in the run without and with NaoAc respectively. The germination  index  was  which  proved  that  the  stabilized  compost  obtained  in  this research is of the “mature" kind and it is satisfactory for agricultural use according to the organic farming recommended by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and USDA and US Compost Council standards

Comparative study of analgesic effect of Moringa oleifera leaf extracts with aspirin on experimental animals

Background: Moringa oleifera is highly valued with a wide range of medicinal uses. It is abundantly available in tropical and sub-tropical countries. It has been used as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory in Indian folk medicine since centuries. The mechanism of action of analgesic effect is by the phytochemical components of its leaves which contain alkaloids, glycosides, phenols, saponins and tannin.Methods: This experiment is carried out in mice by using the thermal method of analgesiometer, that is Eddy’s Hot Plate method. Thermostatically controlled electrically heated plate is used in this method. Ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Moringa oleifera leaf extracts are compared with aspirin.Results: When the analgesic properties of the standard drug aspirin were compared to the analgesic properties of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Moringa oleifera, the ethanolic extract showed a comparable analgesic effect with aspirin at 90min. Among these two extracts, the ethanolic extract showed a higher response than aqueous extract.Conclusions: When the analgesic properties of the standard drug aspirin were compared to the analgesic properties of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Moringa oleifera, the ethanolic extract showed a comparable analgesic effect with aspirin at 90min. Among these two extracts, the ethanolic extract showed a higher response than aqueous extract

إطار مقترح لتدقيق اضرار الحرب في ضوء المعايير الدولية ومعايير الانتوساي

          يهدف البحث إلى اقتراح إطار لتدقيق تأثيرات وأضرار الحرب (وذلك من خلال الاستفادة من معايير التدقيق الدولية ومعايير الانتوساي) في البيئة العراقية بهدف توفير أساس قوي لتطوير برامج التدقيق الخاصة بالكوارث عموما والحروب خاصة وصولا إلى إجراءات تصحيحية وتخفيف الآثار السلبية للحروب، وكذلك من أجل مواكبة جميع التطورات والتغيرات الحاصلة في البيئة العالمية، بما يفعل عملية التدقيق ويجعلها أكثر دقة ومرونة واستجابة لكل حدث طارئ كالحروب وغيرها من الكوراث. وقد توصل البحث إلى نتائج عدة أهمها: أن برامج التدقيق التقليدية تركز على تدقيق عملية جرد وحصر أضرار الحرب، دون الأخذ بالاعتبار التأثيرات الأخرى للحروب على الوحدة الاقتصادية ورقابتها الداخلية واطر اعداد القوائم المالية الخاصة بها كما لا يمكن للمدقق الاكتفاء بتدقيق أضرار الحرب الخاصة بالأضرار المتعلقة بفقدان الموجودات، لأن هذا التدقيق يعد غير شامل وغير كاف، إذ لا بد من الأخذ بالاعتبار (فضلا عن تدقيق أضرار الحرب) التأثيرات الأخرى للحروب على الوحدة الاقتصادية كاستمرارية الوحدة وضعف رقابتها الداخلية وحالات الغش بسبب الحرب وظروف الطوارئ والأمور الأخرى المتعلقة بالتعويضات والمساعدات، والمخاطر المستجدة وغير المتوقعة بسبب الحرب والتي لها تأثير على القوائم المالية. وأوصى البحث بالتركيز على معايير التدقيق الدولية ومعايير الانتوساي والاستفادة منها في تطوير عملية التدقيق الخاصة بالكوارث بشكل عام والحروب بشكل خاص في البيئة العراقية والتي عانت من آثار الحروب بشكل خاص

A secure key distribution protocol based on hash functions and a quantum-authenticated channel using 6DP (KDP-6DP)

Security is the most tedious problem in highly sensitive communications. Quantum security is the key issue in solving the problem. A key distribution protocol based on the use of hash functions is proposed. The essential part of the protocol depends on sending a string of random characters from sender to receiver. Then, a selected hash or a cascade of two hash functions and a long-term shared secret are used to construct the key. Consequently, the session key is generated on-site by independently applying a hash function on the random string at the sender and receiver sides. This protocol requires a reliable method of authentication. Therefore, it is further proposed to use an out-of-band authentication methodology based on the deterministic six-state quantum authentication protocol that is referred to as 6DP

Testing the Applicability of Submerged Hollow Fiber Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) Technology for Municipal Wastewater Treatment in Iraq

Operation of a one module hollow fiber submerged type MBR system was tested in this work. The system was operated at fixed permeate flowrate of 12 l/hr. The hydraulic retention time of the aeration tank was about 8.3 hr. The mixed liquor suspended solid (MLSS) concentration was maintained in the range 5000- 5500 mg/l. The results show the workability of this system under Iraqi conditions without any difficulties. About 85% chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was achieved. The value of turbidity is well below 0.61 NTU throughout the operation time