DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTERNATIONALIZATION STRATEGY TO EFFECTIVELY MARKET PAKISTAN SMEs PRODUCTS TO EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

In many countries, small-medium enterprises (SMEs) play a vital role in creating jobs and economic development, especially in developing countries like Pakistan. However, despite possible internationalisation benefits and strategic importance, numbers of Pakistani SMEs are not actively serving the international market because of their weak business strategy and market barriers faced in the global marketplace. This study focuses on the strategy and methods used by the SMEs of Pakistan to enter the international market. The upstream and downstream internationalisation model is used for the technological knowledge and acquisition of the market and the foreign customers' insight and foreign market insight. The dimensions, SMEs are required to focus for internationalisation are investigated in this research, such as market, product, and time and operation mode. This is the main focus of the study. To solicit the opinion of sampled Pakistan SMEs managers from the list provided by the Small and Medium Enterprises Authority (SMEDA), a qualitative research design was employed and interviews were used for data collection. Findings reveal that SMEs' current strategy is the major challenge and obstacle for them entering the internationalisation process. Results show that market choice and region is not a part of the deliberate strategy but an unexpected opportunity outcome. Furthermore, the findings revealed that a lack of market knowledge makes it difficult for SMEs to gain access and assistance, as the government institutions' policies and regulations are not supportive. In addition, financial constraints make it challenging to manage this internationalisation process efficiently. The current research contributes to identifying the challenges required to be solved internationalisation process. Government institutions, skilled workforce, R&D, logistics, market access, and financial support are more likely to play a role in SMEs' journey to achieve internationalisation effectively

Stream Temperature Modeling for Marys River Watershed

High water temperatures in rivers have detrimental effects on riverine water quality and ecology. In this study, two river temperature models, within the agricultural watershed model Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), were investigated for their ability to simulate water temperatures accurately throughout the year. The original temperature model within SWAT uses a linear approach to estimate stream temperature based on air temperature and does not account for hydrological components for calculating stream temperature. Recently, a new stream temperature model for SWAT was developed that combines meteorological with hydrological components such as lateral flow, snowmelt, groundwater flow and surface runoff. The model also uses three elements for the stream temperature calculations – specifically, within a sub-basin (temperature and flow rate), upstream of sub-basin (temperature and incoming flow), and air-water temperature heat exchange transfer. The goal of this research was to improve the recently developed temperature model further by incorporating different types of heat exchange sources, in addition to air-water heat transfer. The edited model was tested for Marys River, a west tributary of the Willamette River in Oregon. The output from the edited model was then compared with observed stream temperatures, for different spatial locations within the watershed to assess the model efficiency. The results showed a good agreement for forested region compared to Ficklin’s default model with RMSE of both models matching. However, there were over predictions and more noise in predicting stream temperature for agricultural region within the watershed in which resulted in higher RMSE for edited model

The Impact of Revised Wage Rate on Firm’s Competitiveness in the Ready Made Garment Sector of Bangladesh: A Case Study Comparison Between Large vs SME Garment Manufacturers

The objective of the paper was to critically analyse the impact of revised minimum wage rate on the competitiveness of different size garment manufacturers in Bangladesh. In doing so the paper adopted a case study approach and incorporated data from multiple case study companies. Notably, the paper aims to cover three main areas: industry conditions and its implications on profitability, the critical resources which are giving the large case study firms a competitive advantage and finally the impact of institutional change brought about by the Rana Plaza incident on different case study firms. Using relevant literature from these three areas the paper proposed 3 hypotheses which were in turn tested and re-developed by using the primary data collected from case study companies. The findings from the research highlighted that the profitability of the garment industry became particularly low only after the imposition of minimum wage; however the profitability in mid-market segment is still comparatively higher. The study also identified the two critical resources that are helping the large case study firms to strategize better in relation to tackling the impact of minimum wage, which were “Industrial Engineering Department” and “Vertically Integrated Supply Chain”. Finally the study identified the change in institutional paradigm and stringent monitoring brought about by Rana Plaza incident had a more significant impact for the SME’s due to issues such as decoupling which were much easier to pursue previously. Finally the paper also outlined some strategies which SME case study firms could adopt in order to minimize the impact of minimum wage. Notably, the revised minimum wage increase was only implemented from December 31st 2013 and there hasn’t been much academic work in relation to the context; therefore the study aims to provide a first-hand overview of the situation prevailing after the minimum wage which could be in turn used for further research in the area

Modeling Landscape Change Effects on Stream Temperature Using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool

Stream temperature is one of the most important factors for regulating fish behavior and habitat. Therefore, models that seek to characterize stream temperatures, and predict their changes due to landscape and climatic changes, are extremely important. In this study, we extend a mechanistic stream temperature model within the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) by explicitly incorporating radiative flux components to more realistically account for radiative heat exchange. The extended stream temperature model is particularly useful for simulating the impacts of landscape and land use change on stream temperatures using SWAT. The extended model is tested for the Marys River, a western tributary of the Willamette River in Oregon. The results are compared with observed stream temperatures, as well as previous model estimates (without radiative components), for different spatial locations within the Marys River watershed. The results show that the radiative stream temperature model is able to simulate increased stream temperatures in agricultural sub-basins compared with forested sub-basins, reflecting observed data. However, the effect is overestimated, and more noise is generated in the radiative model due to the inclusion of highly variable radiative forcing components. The model works at a daily time step, and further research should investigate modeling at hourly timesteps to further improve the temporal resolution of the model. In addition, other watersheds should be tested to improve and validate the model in different climates, landscapes, and land use regimes

Improving drilling performance through optimizing controllable drilling parameters

Abstract The prediction of the drilling rate of penetration (ROP) is one of the key aspects of drilling optimization due to its significant role in reducing expensive drilling costs. Many variables could affect ROP, which can be classified into two general categories; controllable operational variables and uncontrollable or environmental variables. Minimizing the drilling cost can be achieved through optimizing the controllable drilling parameters. As a direct result, the drilling speed will be increased while maintaining safe practices. The primary purpose of this study is to address the simultaneous impact of controllable parameters such as weight on bit (WOB), revolutions per minute, and flow rate (FR) on the rate of penetration (ROP). Response surface methodology was applied to develop a mathematical relation between operational controllable drilling parameters and ROP. To accomplish this, actual field datasets from several wells drilled in Southern Iraq in different fields were used. The second purpose of this study was to identify all prospective optimal ranges of these controllable parameters to obtain superior drilling performance with an optimum ROP. The obtained results showed that the developed model offers a cost-effective tool for determining the maximum ROP as a function of controllable parameters with reasonable accuracy. In addition, the proposed model was used to estimate optimal combinations of controllable drilling parameters for various depths. The results have shown that FR has the most significant effect on ROP variation with a sum of squares values of 23.47. Applying high WOB does not permanently improve ROP but could result in reducing ROP for some cases. The developed mechanical specific energy model for polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bit with vertical and deviated wells can estimate combinations of controllable drilling parameters. The developed model can be successfully applied to predict and optimize the drilling rate when using PDC bits, hence reducing the drilling time and the associated drilling cost for future wells

Manage and analyze the problem of electrical losses in Sudan

The paper deals with the issue of reducing active power losses in the 110 kV electrical network of the Khartoum region of Sudan. We consider what effective measures that can reduce active power losses inthe 110 kV electric network, In the calculation, we considered two measures to be used to reduce active power losses, In the first chapter, this is with the help of the capacitor banks, In the second chapter, when adding atransmission line.В статье рассматривается вопрос снижения потерь активной мощности в электрической сети 110 кВ Хартумского района Судана. Мы рассматриваем, какие эффективные меры могут снизить потери активной мощности в электрической сети 110 кВ. В расчетах мы рассмотрели две меры, которые следует использовать для снижения потерь активной мощности. Вопервых, это использование конденсаторных батарей, Во-вторых, при добавлении ЛЭП

Economic Anxiety and the Performance of SMEs during COVID-19: A Cross-National Study in Kuwait

The focal aim of the project was to assess the economic anxiety (EA) and the performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) during partial and full lockdowns in Kuwait. The challenges facing the SMEs during COVID-19 and the potential solutions were also explored. The call for this vital investigation was due to the global economic fallout and the shocking drop within the marketplace caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. A descriptive approach was used for online survey design to collect datasets from 147 SMEs spanning all governorates of Kuwait in the period between March and June 2021. It included sociodemographic data, economic anxiety perception, potential challenges and solutions to SMEs, and SMEs’ performance. The data analysis using SPSS 25 showed that 78.2% of the SMEs were affected directly by the COVID-19 pandemic, and about 83% were affected negatively by the COVID-19 pandemic. In comparison, only 12.2% experienced a positive impact, mainly medical, technology, social media, food supplies, and delivery or logistics industries. With great concerns of SMEs for all dimensions related to economic anxiety (with an average of around 3.95), the greatest concerns were the financial and cash flow, followed by labor shortage (an average between 4.51 and 5.00). The results also showed that most of the performance indicators for the SMEs were low (with an average of less than or equal to 2.5), and more than 66% of them worked fewer hours during the pandemic; the number of operating hours was dropped dramatically. More than 74% of the SMEs used technology in more than 20% of their activities, representing an increase in using technologies of about 44%, and about 25.2% used social networks in more than 80% of their activities. The performance of SMEs is also found to be significantly and positively correlated with the economic anxiety levels, with a correlation coefficient of 0.186. The findings revealed significant and crucial outcomes for policymaking, decision-makers, and governmental agencies to build recovery plans and proper actions needed to manage the consequences caused by the disaster against the economic and other developments within the context of SMEs. Overall, there is a clear need to find ways and customize operations to adapt to the new work modes that require social distancing, online operations, and site management. In addition, new alternative modes of SMEs work follow to compensate for the lower working hours from the office and increased online working from home

Economic Anxiety and the Performance of SMEs during COVID-19: A Cross-National Study in Kuwait

The focal aim of the project was to assess the economic anxiety (EA) and the performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) during partial and full lockdowns in Kuwait. The challenges facing the SMEs during COVID-19 and the potential solutions were also explored. The call for this vital investigation was due to the global economic fallout and the shocking drop within the marketplace caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. A descriptive approach was used for online survey design to collect datasets from 147 SMEs spanning all governorates of Kuwait in the period between March and June 2021. It included sociodemographic data, economic anxiety perception, potential challenges and solutions to SMEs, and SMEs’ performance. The data analysis using SPSS 25 showed that 78.2% of the SMEs were affected directly by the COVID-19 pandemic, and about 83% were affected negatively by the COVID-19 pandemic. In comparison, only 12.2% experienced a positive impact, mainly medical, technology, social media, food supplies, and delivery or logistics industries. With great concerns of SMEs for all dimensions related to economic anxiety (with an average of around 3.95), the greatest concerns were the financial and cash flow, followed by labor shortage (an average between 4.51 and 5.00). The results also showed that most of the performance indicators for the SMEs were low (with an average of less than or equal to 2.5), and more than 66% of them worked fewer hours during the pandemic; the number of operating hours was dropped dramatically. More than 74% of the SMEs used technology in more than 20% of their activities, representing an increase in using technologies of about 44%, and about 25.2% used social networks in more than 80% of their activities. The performance of SMEs is also found to be significantly and positively correlated with the economic anxiety levels, with a correlation coefficient of 0.186. The findings revealed significant and crucial outcomes for policymaking, decision-makers, and governmental agencies to build recovery plans and proper actions needed to manage the consequences caused by the disaster against the economic and other developments within the context of SMEs. Overall, there is a clear need to find ways and customize operations to adapt to the new work modes that require social distancing, online operations, and site management. In addition, new alternative modes of SMEs work follow to compensate for the lower working hours from the office and increased online working from home

Preliminary Investigation of Bioaccumulation of Microcystins in Hypereutrophic Irrigation Ponds Case Study – the Jordan Valley

Microcystis blooms and the related toxin known as microcystin-LR (MC-LR) put the safety of human water consumption and global irrigation practices in jeopardy. MC-LR is widely distributed in various environments, including water, sediments, plants, and other aquatic organisms. The use of water-containing microcystins for agricultural purposes may have to be restricted despite the limited availability of clean water resources. Accordingly, the present work aimed to determine the MC-LR concentrations and recognize the environmental parameters that initiate the growth of toxic cyanobacteria and MC-LR occurrence in 20 irrigation ponds in the Jordan Valley area. The irrigation ponds studied were found in a hypereutrophic condition, with high levels of N:P ratio and low transparency. These cause inseparable effects such as cyanobacterial bloom and MC-LR occurrence. The investigated ponds were classified as hypereutrophic according to General Quality Index (GQI), with two different types of algae covering the surface. The first was the Lemna sp. or duckweeds (Family Araceae) which are free-floating masses, and the second was the cyanobacteria algal bloom. Unpaired t-tests were performed and showed that the concentrations of MC-LR in pond water abundant with cyanobacteria algal bloom in September 2021 were significantly higher (P = 0.7906) than in June for the same year (0.3022 ± 0.0444 and 0.1048 ± 0.0171 ppb, respectively). Two methods for extracting MC-LR were used and showed a significant difference in MC-LR concentration in ponds with an abundance of cyanobacteria algal blooms (0.2273 ± 0.0356 ppb) compared to the ponds with an abundance of Lemna sp. or duckweeds collected in June 2021 (0.1048 ± 0.0171 ppb). Despite all of the efforts made by Jordan Valley farmers to prevent or limit the mass growth of cyanobacteria and its consequences for the eutrophication process in their irrigation ponds through the use of fish breading and chemicals such as copper sulfate, this environmental problem is still harming their crops and irrigation methods and requires immediate government assistance

Determination of Novel Anti-Cancer Agents by Targeting OGG1 Enzyme Using Integrated Bioinformatics Methods

The 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) enzyme is a key DNA glycosylase mediating the excision of 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) from DNA molecule to the start base excision repair pathway. The OGG1 glycosylase function depletion has been seen to obstruct pathological conditions such as inflammation, A3 T-cell lymphoblastic acute leukemia growth, and neurodegenerative diseases, thus warranting OGG1 as an attractive anti-cancer enzyme. Herein, we employed several drug libraries intending to screen non-toxic inhibitory molecules against the active pocket of the enzyme that achieved stable binding mode in dynamics. Two anti-cancer compounds ([O-]C1=C(CC2=CC=CC=C2)SC(=[N+]1CC(=O)NC3=NC=C(CC4=CC=CC=C4)S3)S and CCCN(CCC)[S]-(=O)(=O)C1=CC=C(C=C1)C(=O)NNC2=NC3=CC=C(Br)C=C3C(=N2)C4=CC=CC=C4) from Selleckchem.com were identified to occupy the active pocket of OGG1 and bind with greater affinity than Control TH5487. The binding affinity of Top-1 is −11.6 kcal/mol while that of Top-2 is −10.7 kcal/mol in contrast to TH5487 Control (−9 kcal/mol). During molecular dynamic simulations versus time, the said compounds are tightly held by the enzyme with no minor structural deviations reported except flexible loops in particular those present at the N and C-terminal. Both the compounds produced extensive hydrophobic interactions with the enzyme along with stable hydrogen bonding. The docking and molecular dynamics simulations predictions were further validated by molecular mechanics with generalized Born and surface area solvation (MM/GBSA) and Poisson Boltzmann surface area (MM/PBSA), and WaterSwap binding energies that validated strong binding of the compounds to the enzyme. The MM/GBSA binding free energy for Top-1 complex is −28.10 kcal/mol, Top-2 complex is −50.14 kcal/mol) and Control is −46.91 kcal/mol while MM/PBSA value for Top-1, Top-2 and Control is −23.38 kcal/mol, −35.29 kcal/mol and −38.20 kcal/mol, respectively. Computational pharmacokinetics support good druglike candidacy of the compounds with acceptable profile of pharmacokinetics and very little toxicity. All these findings support the notion that the compounds can be used in experiments to test their anti-cancer activities