The political economy of regionalism: Regional integration arrangements and Africa\u27s development. COMESA in a comparative context

This thesis adopts a comparative approach to examine the role of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in the promotion of socio-economic and political development in Eastern and Southern Africa. The thesis begins by providing a theoretical background to the concept of regionalism. It then traces the emergence of regionalism within the political economy of the international system, beginning from the era of mercantilism to the era of globalization. It then provides a critical overview of the European Union (the EU), the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Common Market of the Southern Cone (MERCOSUR) and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and analyses the achievements of these regional integration arrangements in so far as meeting the socio-economic and political development needs of their respective regions is concerned and builds the framework within which COMESA is compared vis-a-vis these regional integration arrangements. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)Dept. of History, Philosophy, and Political Science. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis2005 .M66. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 44-03, page: 1217. Thesis (M.A.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2005

A Review Of The Relationship Between Cultural Beliefs, Stereotypes And Executive Selection Outcome

This paper is a critical literature review of the relationships between culturalbeliefs, stereotypes and executive selection outcome. Culture refers to the values, beliefs and codes of practice that make a community. Organizational culture represent and constituent of the larger societal culture. Employees bring along with them elements of their environmental culture into the organization. The societal cultures influence the perceptions, beliefs and values of employees and find their way in the decision making process, including executive selection decisions. It is for this reason that studies of organizational culture must be donewithin the context of the larger society in which it operates. This paper identifies the study of the relationship between cultural beliefs, stereotypes and executive selection outcome as an existing gap in understanding social influences in executive selection outcome.Key Words: Cultural beliefs, executive, selection, outcome, stereotypes, relationshi

Comparison of survival analysis approaches to modelling credit risks

A Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Science in Mathematical Finance (MSc.MF) at Strathmore UniversityCredit risk is a critical area in finance and has drawn considerable research attention. As such, survival analysis has widely been used in credit risk, in particular, to model debt's time to default mechanisms. In this study, we revisit different survival analysis approaches as applied in credit risk defaulters' data and assess their performance in light of the Kenyan context. In practice, inconsistency in the validity of credit risk models used by many companies when predicting and analysis of loan default is a common phenomenon that occurs unexpectedly. Loan defaults often cause major loses to creditors' and can be of great benefit if quantified correctly in advance by using correct models. Here, we address the unbiasedness, analysis, and comparison of survival analysis approaches, particularly, the models of credit risk. We carry out data analysis using the Cox proportional hazard model and its extensions as well as the mixture cure and non-cure model. We then compare the results systematically by investigating the most efficient awl preferable model that produces best estimates in the Kenyan real data, sets. Results show the Cox Proportional Hazard (Cox PH) model is more efficient in the analysis of Kenyan real data set compared to the frailty, the mixture cure, and non-cure model

Intercalation of Poly[Oligo(Ethylene Glycol) Oxalate] into Vanadium Pentoxide Xerogel: Preparation, Characterization and Conductivity Properties

We report, for the first time, the intercalation of poly[oligo(ethylene glycol) oxalate] (POEGO) and POEGO lithium salt (LiCF3SO3) complex (POEGO-LiCF3SO3) into vanadium pentoxide xerogel (V2O5nH2O). The effect of changing the polymer concentration on the interlayer expansion of the layered host was studied, and the optimal intercalation ratio was determined to be 1:2. The intercalates were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and AC impedance spectroscopy

Novel catalytically active pd/Ru bimetallic nanoparticles synthesized by Bacillus benzeovorans

This work was supported by a UK Commonwealth scholarship to JBO. BK was supported by the Petroleum Technology Development Funds (PTDF) of Nigeria. The project was funded by NERC grant NE/L014076/1 to LEM. The Science City Photoemission Facility used in this research was funded through the Science Cities Advanced Materials Project 1: Creating and Characterizing Next Generation of Advanced Materials with support from AWM and ERDF funds. The microscopy work was conducted in the “Laboratorio de Microscopias Avanzadas” at “Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragon - Universidad de Zaragoza” Spain. The authors acknowledge the LMA-INA for offering access to their instruments and expertise.Bacillus benzeovorans assisted and supported growth of ruthenium (bio-Ru) and palladium/ruthenium (bio-Pd@Ru) core@shell nanoparticles (NPs) as bio-derived catalysts. Characterization of the bio-NPs using various electron microscopy techniques and high-angle annular dark field (HAADF) analysis confirmed two NP populations (1–2 nm and 5–8 nm), with core@shells in the latter. The Pd/Ru NP lattice fringes, 0.231 nm, corresponded to the (110) plane of RuO2. While surface characterization using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed the presence of Pd(0), Pd(II), Ru(III) and Ru(VI), X-ray absorption (XAS) studies of the bulk material confirmed the Pd speciation (Pd(0) and Pd(II)- corresponding to PdO), and identified Ru as Ru(III) and Ru(IV). The absence of Ru–Ru or Ru–Pd peaks indicated Ru only exists in oxide forms (RuO2 and RuOH), which are surface-localized. X ray diffraction (XRD) patterns did not identify Pd-Ru alloying. Preliminary catalytic studies explored the conversion of 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (5-HMF) to the fuel precursor 2,5-dimethyl furan (2,5-DMF). Both high-loading (9.7 wt.% Pd, 6 wt.% Ru) and low-loading (2.4 wt.% Pd, 2 wt.% Ru) bio-derived catalysts demonstrated high conversion efficiencies (~95%) and selectivity of ~63% (~20% better than bio-Ru NPs) and 58%, respectively. These materials show promising future scope as efficient low-cost biofuel catalysts.Funded by NERC grant NE/L014076/

Unique properties of α-NaFeO2: De-intercalation of sodium via hydrolysis and the intercalation of guest molecules into the extract solution.

Highlights: [•] Facile de-intercalating Na from NaFeO2. [•] Formation of layered sodium hydrogen carbonate hydrate. [•] Intercalation chemistry on layered sodium hydrogen carbonate hydrate

Computational screening for selective catalysts: Cleaving the C C bond during ethanol electro-oxidation reaction

International audienc

A bilayer insertion of poly(oxymethylene-oxyethylene) into vanadium pentoxide xerogel

We report a method for inserting poly(oxymethylene-oxyethylene) (POMOE) and LiCF3SO3-POMOE (Li-POMOE) complex into V2O5nH2O xerogel at room temperature leading to a bilayer arrangement of the POMOE-chains within the gallery spaces. This could be a significant step towards developing improved electrolyte/cathode materials for lithium/Li-ion batteries. A series of intercalates were prepared to study the effect of changing the polymer concentration on the interlayer expansion of the layered host, and to determine the optimal insertion ratio. An insertion reaction mechanism is proposed. A hydrogen-bonding network between the polymer and the V2O5 framework contributes significantly to the formation of the nanocomposites. The nanocomposites showed reversible color change from red to green when subjected to electrical stimuli, thus making them good candidates for electrochromic devices. The materials were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and impedance spectroscopy

Inside Cover: Role of the Metalâ Oxide Support in the Catalytic Activity of Pd Nanoparticles for Ethanol Electrooxidation in Alkaline Media (ChemElectroChem 2/2016)

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/137539/1/celc201600015.pd