A modified bats echolocation-based algorithm for solving constrained optimisation problems

A modified adaptive bats sonar algorithm (MABSA) is presented that utilises the concept of echolocation of a colony of bats to find prey. The proposed algorithm is applied to solve the constrained optimisation problems coupled with penalty function method as constraint handling technique. The performance of the algorithm is verified through rigorous tests with four constrained optimisation benchmark test functions. The acquired results show that the proposed algorithm performs better to find optimum solution in terms of accuracy and convergence speed. The statistical results of MABSA to solve all the test functions also has been compared with the results from several existing algorithms taken from literature on similar test functions. The comparative study has shown that MABSA outperforms other establish algorithms, and thus, it can be an efficient alternative method in the solving constrained optimisation problems

HIGHER EDUCATION FACILITIES MANAGEMENT: READY FOR INTERNATIONALIZATION?

The last ten years has seen dramatic growth in Facilities Management (FM) activities worldwide, including Malaysia. Facilities Management is responsible for coordinating all efforts related to planning, designing and managing physical structure and it equipment, furniture and fixtures to improve the organization’s ability to compete successfully in a fast changing world. The facilities of a Higher Education Institution (HEI) like Universiti Teknologi Malaysia are one of its most valuable assets and must be manage properly in order to meet the need of the Institution’s end-user (Local and International students). This research provides essential concept on the application of facility management in general and specific emphasis on Higher Education facilities like library, class rooms, transportation services, catering services among others. The purpose of this study is to identify and assess whether the facilities provided in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) meet the International students’ requirement and recommend measure necessary to meet the shortfalls of these requirements. 210 questionnaires were administered to seven colleges and quantitative analysis technique was used in the analysis of the result. The finding shows 70% of the respondents (male and female) are satisfied and comfortable with the academic facilities which include (Library, class rooms) however, 30% were not. Similarly, 65% of the respondents said the transportation service (bus) on campus is inefficient. Finding also shows that 55% and 85% of the respondents complained on road signage and catering services. On college facilities, between 58% and 70% of the respondents are satisfied with the college facilities (rooms, desk, bed, sport facilities, parking space). Results indicate that 70% of the respondents complained of the chair provided in their rooms (not to ergonomic standards). Overall result shows that 65% of the respondents are satisfied with the campus facilities while 35% are not satisfied

Pengaruh Pelaksanaan Anggaran Belanja Modal dan Ketaatan pada Peraturan Perundangan terhadap Akuntabilitas Kinerja Instansi Pemerintah Kota Banda Aceh

The research examines the effect of implementation of capital expenditure and adherence to laws and regulations on accountability performance of city agencies Banda Aceh. The research objective was to determine the effect of the implementation of the capital expenditure budget and compliance with laws and regulations to the accountability of the performance of city agencies Banda Aceh partial or collectively. The of this study was population treasurer of 30 working units in the city of Banda Aceh, which have 90 treasurer. Primary data were collected by distributing questionnaires. Data analysis used is multiple linear regression model. The results of the study can be explained that the implementation of the capital expenditure has positive influence on performance accountability of government agencies in Banda Aceh. Obedience to the laws and regulations has positive effect on performance accountability of government agencies in Banda Aceh. The correlation between the variable capital expenditure budget implementation and compliance with laws and regulations with the accountability of the performance of city agencies Banda Aceh is positive and relatively strong. The role of variable capital expenditure budget implementation and compliance with laws and regulations with the accountability of the performance of city agencies Banda Aceh is still more dominant than the other variables. Keywords — The implementation of the capital budget, adherence to the rule of law, accountability of the performance of government agencie

Relationship between stock market returns and exchangerates in emerging stock markets

This paper aims to study the relationship between stock market returns and exchange rates in emerging stock markets including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Philippines. The data is taken from January 2003 to December 2012 using weekly closing indices and separated in two periods; before (2003-2007) and second, after (2008-2012) the financial crisis of 2008. Johansen-Juselius (JJ). Granger causality tests show that unidirectional causality exists between the stock market returns and exchange rates for Thailand before the financial crisis, whilst, for Indonesia and Singapore, the unidirectional causality between the two variables is detected in the period after the financial crisis. Error Correction Model (ECM) indicates the existence of long run causality between the two variables for Philippines. This study also finds that most of the emerging stock markets are informationally inefficient

Pengaruh Kebijakan Spin-off, Beban Operasional Pendapatan Operasional (Bopo), Dana Pihak Ketiga (Dpk), dan Non Performing Financing (NPF) terhadap Profitabilitas Perbankan Syariah di Indonesia

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of independent variables on profitability of islamic banking in Indonesia for the period of 2008 to 2015. Independent variables used in this study are spin-off policy, operating expense to operating income (OEOI), third party fund, and non performing financing (NPF). The method that used for this study is purposive sampling, from 12 islamic banking in Indonesia, 6 islamic banking are choosed as the sample in this study. The type of data used in this study is secondary which is financial statement. Collecting data technique used in this study is documentary.Data is analyzed by statistical analysis using a multiple regression analysis. The data is processed by IBM Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) 20th version program. The result of the study show that 48,7% dependent variable or profitability ratio can be explained by the four of independent variables. Silmutaneously the four of independent variables have effect on profitabilit. Individually spin-off policy and third party fund have not effect on profitability. Meanwhile, operating expense to operating income varibles have effect significant on profitability

Pengaruh Framing Effect Sebagai Determinan Escalation of Commitment Dalam Keputusan Investasi: Dampak Dari Working Experiences

The prior of research have shown that the framing effect is one of determinant in explaining decisions to escalate commitment to failing projects. However , have not considered whether experience moderates the framing effect on escalation of commitment. This study reports the results of an experiment in which the effect of decision frame of investment performance with negative feedback informatian on judgment to continue project of experienced subjects is compared to inexperienced subjects. Forty six Aceh experienced managers and forty seven accounting students participated in this experiment. Two conditions based on prospect theory (negative framing and positive framing) manipulated, and two conditions of business experience, crossed between subjects. The experiment reaffirms that decision frame does not have effect on judgment of experienced subject but those frame indeed have effect on judgment to continue project of inexperienced subjects. The result of this research suggest that framing effect as drawn from prospect theory is one of explanatory power of escalation of commitment, but it can not generalized to real-world business settings

Active involvement of students in co-curriculum (sports) versus generic skills

The active involvement of students in sports activities is viewed from different levels of achievement beginning with the national representation of the residential colleges, faculties, and universities in prestigious sporting events at international levels. The skills that are developed through extra-curricular activities are generic skills. The involvement of students in co-curricular activities can help to shape their generic skills, thus leading to self-promotion in the workplace. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to examine the enhancement of generic skills among engineering and technical students of UTHM who are actively involved in co-curricular activities (sports). This study will focus on identifying the factors of involvement, the level of application among students, and the perceptions of the students through their active involvement in extra-curricular activities (sports). A survey was conducted using a quantitative approach. A general questionnaire, which was designed to fulfil the objectives and to answer the research questions for this study, was distributed to 213 engineering and technical student athletes of UTHM who are actively involved in co-curricular activities (sports). It was found that the engineering and technical student athletes of UTHM agreed that their active involvement in extra-curricular activities (sports) was due to interpersonal, intrapersonal and structural factors. The results showed that out of seven generic skills, three constructs of generic skills, namely communication, teamwork and management, demonstrate a high level of application through active involvement in extra-curricular activities (sports). These findings may also help the university to focus on the development of generic skills in engineering and technical students through co-curricular activities (sports) in addition to producing athletes who are able to create a name for the university at national or international level

Studi Karakteristik Detektor Sodium Iodide dalam Pemanfaatannya sebagai Segmented Gamma Scanner Limbah Radioaktif

THE STUDY OF SODIUM IODIDE DETECTOR CHARACTERISTICS AS PART OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE SEGMENTED GAMMA SCANNER . The study of sodium iodide detector characteristics as part of radioactive waste segmented gamma scanner have been done. The study was conducted in order to establish segmented gamma scanner using sodium iodide detectors as radiation counter. The research purpose to prepare radiation counter for segmented gamma scanner at radioactive waste installation, so it can working optimally on counting radioactivity of radioactive waste. Study of characteristics performed using gamma radiation sources Cs-137 and Co-60 by observing the counting results from some of parameters tested. Based on the testing parameters, sodium iodide detector produce stable counts with the result that can be used as a radiation counter in segmented gamma scanner system. The result of this study shows that the optimal counts was obtained at the setting operation for voltage and amplification both were 800 volt and multiply 8, respectively. This setting operations can be used as reference when using sodium iodide detector as radiation counter