The Double Edged Blade of Consumerism & the Impossible Trinity – Bangladesh

This paper demonstrates how a change in monetary policy by lowering the interest rates can lead to a decline in savings in the short run. Almost perfect correlation coefficient exists between declined marginal savings and increased household desire to either invest or spend; hoarding proves to be minimal but there are limits to household investments. Corporate investment is also possibly affected by the new policy as consumerism and lower cost of capital encourages the firms to invest. Consumption also leads to indebtedness. However, the consumption patterns, capital flight and borrowing motives proves to be of alarming significance to the policy makers. In the long-run, monetary expansionary policy is forecasted to be ineffective. Keywords: Monetary policy, interest rate, Saving-Consumption-Investment Imbalance, Product Influx, Impossible Trinity, Consumption Pattern, Debt Motivations, Capital Fligh

UGROŽENE VRSTE RIBA U SVIJETU: Eutropiichthys vacha (Hamilton, 1822) (Siluriformes: Schilbeidae)

River catfish Eutropiichthys vacha is one of the foods high in nutritional value in Asian countries. However, natural populations have seriously declined or are on the verge of extinction due to over-exploitation and various ecological changes in its natural habitats, leading to an alarming situation which deserves high conservation attention. This paper suggests conservation measures that should be taken into account towards the preservation of the remnant isolated population of E. vacha in Asian countries.Riječni som, Eutropiichthys vacha, služi kao komercijalno visoka, nutritivno vrijedna hrana u azijskim zemljama. Međutim, prirodne populacije ozbiljno su opale ili su na rubu izumiranja zbog prekomjernog iskorištavanja i raznih ekoloških promjena u svojim prirodnim staništima, što dovodi do alarmantne situacije te je potreban visok stupanj zaštite. U radu se predlažu mjere zaštite koje treba uzeti u obzir kako bi se očuvao ostatak izolirane populacije E. vacha u azijskim zemljama

Practice of SCM Performance Drivers and Procurement Process: Case Study on Globe Pharmaceuticals Limited

This paper presents a descriptive research which addresses a case study on Globe Pharmaceuticals Limited., Bangladesh. The main objective of this study is to identify and demonstrate the practices of Supply Chain Management (SCM) upon the organization. The study is conducted by in-depth interviewing of the personnel working in the commercial department of the organization as well as secondary data.  Globe Pharmaceuticals Limited has been manufacturing medicines since 1986 with a view to provide high quality medicines throughout the country. They are not only distributing medicines in the country but also exporting to international market. Till now, they have expanded their overseas marketing coverage in Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines, Srilanka, Myanmar, Yemen and Cambodia. The company is now in the process of receiving regulatory approvals for start its business in various countries of Africa, Middle East and Latin America. This has been possible by effective implementation of supply chain management performance drivers. The author has thoroughly analyzed SCM performance drivers and procurement process of Globe Pharmaceuticals Limited, to explore innovative ideas regarding SCM practices in pharmaceuticals industry. The performance of the supply chain of Globe Pharmaceuticals Limited is evaluated based upon the six supply chain performance drivers; Facilities, Inventory, Transportation, Information, Sourcing, Pricing. These drivers are utilized to create the balance between responsiveness and efficiency. The right combination of efficiency and responsiveness increases the performance of the supply chain and reduce inventory and operating expense simultaneously. Globe Pharmaceuticals Limited, practices all the six drivers of supply chain performance and tries constantly to improve its performance. There are certain aspects of their supply chain where they can bring improvements which will improve the performance of the whole supply chain. Keywords: Supply chain management, Practice, Performance drivers, Procurement process, Globe Pharmaceuticals Limite

Population Biology of the Indian River Shad, Gudusia chapra (Clupeidae) in the Old Brahmaputra River, North-Eastern Bangladesh

Population biology including population structure, reproduction, length-weight relationship and condition factor of a commercially important clupeid freshwater fish, Gudusia chapra was studied in the Old Brahmaputra River, Bangladesh during January-December 2009. In the present study, a total of 2032 specimens (1091 male; 941 female) were collected. The overall sex ratio showed significant difference from the expected value 1:1 (male: female = 1:0.86, χ2 = 11.07, p<0.001). Length-frequency distribution showed a size predominance of females over males, where mean female size consistently exceeded that of males throughout the year. Female size at first sexual maturity was estimated as 8.3 cm in standard length (SL). Monthly gonadosomatic index (GSI) was higher during March-September with a peak in April, indicating this was the main spawning season. The allometric coefficient b of the length-weight relationship (LWR) indicated negative allometric growth in males and females, but the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) showed significant differences in slope and intercept between the sexes (p<0.001). Fulton’s condition factor by months and SLs varied in both sexes and was attributed to variations in GSI with maturity

Logistics and Supply Chain: An Overview of Business Jet Aircraft Manufacturing

The paper highlights key points of aircraft manufacturing and supply chain, which includes key supply chain stages of macro processes and logistics of material flow through a network of stages, organization and workstations. Supply chain refers to a series of facilities, with sequence of activities involved in producing and delivering of a product and service. The study was done through personal work experience in an aircraft factory, watching video documentary on National Geography Chanel, literature review of Federal Aviation Administration manuals, books, newspaper articles, aircraft manufacturing websites, and other internet survey. The network of stages starts from ultimate supplier, in the form of raw material, ends up to the final customer, in the form of finished goods. Logistics involve movement of materials, funds, and information between these stages of a supply chain, in a coordinated way. In some large manufacturing facility, such as an aircraft manufacturing factory, multiple stages of supply chain are found within the factory premise itself. Within a specific stage, production lines are found, such that workers and machines are grouped together with a sequence of assigned activities to produce customized, handcrafted, yet standardized outputs. Zooming from supply chain macro level process to micro level manufacturing processes, together with transportation and logistics of material between the stages are highlighted. Keywords: Aircraft Manufacturing, Logistics, Transporation, Supply Chain and Opertions Management

A Comparative Study of the Effects of Substrate Composite Materials on External and Internal Handset Antenna EM Absorption

Cellular phones are used in the vicinity of a human head, which absorbs power from antenna radiation. This investigation analyzes the effects of antenna substrate materials on electromagnetic (EM) absorption in a human head. Antennas are used in analysis with four different dielectric substrate materials, which are Bakelite, FR4 glass epoxy, Rogers R04003, and Taconic TLC. Moreover, two different thicknesses of each substrate are considered in the experimental setup. The EM absorption associated with two types of cell phone antennas is evaluated in the closed vicinity of the human head model. One of them is planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA), which is used as the internal handset antenna and another one is helical antenna, which is used as external handset antenna. This investigation consists of two different operating frequency bands, GSM 900 MHz and DCS 1800 MHz. The EM absorption in the human head is presented using the peak specific absorption rate (SAR) and total absorbed power (TAP) by the user. The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method based on Computer Simulation Technology (CST) Microwave studio is utilized in this investigation. The obtained results show that the substrate materials do not effect SAR and TAP values considerably for both antennas, but substrate thickness affects the SAR and TAP values significantly. In addition, the substrate thickness affects the SAR and TAP values significantly in most of the cases Moreover, PIFA produces lower SAR than that of a helical antenna significantly for both GSM and DCS frequency band

UGROŽENE VRSTE RIBA U SVIJETU: Botia dario (Hamilton, 1822) (Cypriniformes: Cobitidae)

Bengal loach Botia dario is a valuable food fish in South Asian countries including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal. However, the wild population is declining due to heavy harvest, habitat loss and its ecological changes. This paper suggests actions for the conservation of the lasting isolated populations of B. dario in Asian countries.Benegalski vijun, Botia dario, u južnim azijskim zemljama, uključujući Bangladeš, Butan, Indiju i Nepal, ima visoku važnost u prehrani. Međutim, divlje populacije su u opadanju zbog teškog iskorištavanja, gubitka staništa i ekoloških promjena. U ovom članku se predlažu akcije za očuvanje posljednjih izoliranih populacija B. dario u azijskim zemljama

Generalized characteristics of photo-elastic birefringence in polymer strip waveguides

This work investigates the material birefringence in a polymer strip waveguide which originates from thermal stress during the fabrication process. The stress is estimated through a comprehensive numerical study based on a realistic finite element model. The characteristics of birefringence are obtained in a generalized form and expressed by an empirical formula, which is applicable to various polymer materials. The developed formula can be employed to specify the photo-elastic birefringence of a polymer strip channel only by knowing the birefringence in its planar film. This will eliminate the necessity of extensive numerical analysis of thermal stress in such polymer waveguides, and accordingly help the management of stress-induced effects efficiently

UGROŽENE VRSTE RIBA U SVIJETU: Labeo calbasu (Hamilton, 1822) (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae)

Orangefin labeo Labeo calbasu is one of the commercially and nutritionally valuable food fish in Asian countries including Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand and China. Unfortunately, natural populations of this species are decreasing due to over-exploitation and various biological changes to its habitats. This article suggests the steps for the conservation of the remnant isolated population of Indian major carps, L. calbasu, in the waters of Asia.Narančastoperajni labeo, Labeo calbasu, je visoko nutritivna vrijedna hrana u azijskim zemljama, uključujući Bangladeš, Indiju, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajland i Kinu. Nažalost, prirodne populacije ove vrste se smanjuju zbog pretjeranog iskorištavanja i raznih bioloških promjena u njihovim staništima. U ovom članku predlažu se koraci za očuvanje ostatka izolirane populacije indijskih velikih šarana, L. calbau, u vodama Azij