Kajian Bencana Tanah Longsor dan Mitigasinya di Desa Bojongkoneng, Kecamatan Kandangserang, Kabupaten Pekalongan

Bencana tanah longsor terjadi pada hari Minggu, 2 Februari 2014 di Desa Bojongkoneng, Kecamatan Kandangserang, Kabupaten Pekalongan. Akibat dari gerakan tanah tersebut, sebanyak 28 rumah mengalami rusak berat. Oleh sebab itu, diperlukan metode identifikasi jenis gerakan tanah sebagai antisipasi kejadian gerakan tanah berikutnya. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini berupa analisis data secara kualitatif yaitu penilaian faktor penyebab gerakan tanah, kemudian analisis kuantitatif berupa pembobotan dan observasi lapangan untuk validasi data. Berdasarkan pengamatan lapangan di dapatkan data bahwa lokasi penelitian memiliki morfologi agak curam. Litologi penyusun dari lokasi penelitian berupa litologi Batulempung sisipan batupasir. Tipe gerakan tanah pada lokasi penelitian merupakan tipe aliran tanah. Penyebab terjadinya gerakan tanah akibat dari relief yang terjal, litologi batulempung yang menjadikanya bidang gelincir, aliran hidrologi yang tidak baik dan curah hujan yang sangat tinggi. Selain itu, adanya pembebanan di atas lereng dimana tata guna lahannya berupa jalan desa yang dilalui kendaraan setiap saat. Metode teknis penanggulangan longsor yang ada di lokasi penelitian dapat berupa Soil Cut Slopes, Retaining Walls dan Pengendalian Saluran Drainase. Kata Kunci: Mitigasi, Gerakan Tanah, Aliran Tanah, Dinding Penaha

Swiss-Cheese operad and Drinfeld center

We build a model in groupoids for the Swiss-Cheese operad, based on parenthesized permutations and braids, and we relate algebras over this model to the classical description of algebras over the homology of the Swiss-Cheese operad. We extend our model to a rational model for the Swiss-Cheese operad, and we compare it to the model that we would get if the operad Swiss-Cheese were formal.Comment: 27 pages. v5: Minor corrections. To appear in Israel J. Mat

Formality of a higher-codimensional Swiss-Cheese operad

We study configurations of points in the complement of a linear subspace inside a Euclidean space, $\mathbb{R}^{n} \setminus \mathbb{R}^{m}$ with $n - m \ge 2$. We define a higher-codimensional Swiss-Cheese operad $\mathsf{VSC}_{mn}$ associated to such configurations, a variant of the classical Swiss-Cheese operad. The operad $\mathsf{VSC}_{mn}$ is weakly equivalent to the operad of locally constant factorization algebras on the stratified space $\{\mathbb{R}^{m} \subset \mathbb{R}^{n}\}$. We prove that this operad is formal over $\mathbb{R}$.Comment: 50 pages, comments welcome. v2: Added two appendices and corrected Section 5.

The Lambrechts-Stanley Model of Configuration Spaces

We prove the validity over $\mathbb{R}$ of a commutative differential graded algebra model of configuration spaces for simply connected closed smooth manifolds, answering a conjecture of Lambrechts--Stanley. We get as a result that the real homotopy type of such configuration spaces only depends on the real homotopy type of the manifold. We moreover prove, if the dimension of the manifold is at least $4$, that our model is compatible with the action of the Fulton--MacPherson operad (weakly equivalent to the little disks operad) when the manifold is framed. We use this more precise result to get a complex computing factorization homology of framed manifolds. Our proofs use the same ideas as Kontsevich's proof of the formality of the little disks operads.Comment: 61 pages. To appear in Inventiones Mathematica

Vertical Relations Between Firms and Innovation: An Empirical Investigation of German Firms

The surge in interfirm cooperative agreements can be seen as expressing a way for firms to respond to and to organize market failure, especially in technology markets. The incentives of firms to internalize activities are to avoid the disadvantages, or capitalize on the advantages, of imperfections or disequilibria in external mechanisms of resource allocations. The purpose of this paper is to investigate empirically the occurrence and importance of different modes of vertical relations between innovating firms, suppliers and users, using data from Germany. The analysis is based on a survey conducted by the "Center for European Economic Research" (Mannheim, Germany) among 3122 firms representing 378 different lines of business, mainly in the manufacturing sector. The main results can be summarized as follows: ? 84 % of all innovating firms responded that they have had R&D cooperation agreements with either suppliers or customers or both. This percentage is even higher (99 %) if we consider only those innovating firms that have also had formal R&D departments. The phenomenon of vertical R&D cooperation is therefore widespread among German firms. ? Informal exchange of technical knowledge was perceived as the most important mode of R&D cooperation between innovating firms on one hand and customers and suppliers on the other, followed by formal methods of cooperation such as joint development teams and contractual R&D cooperation. Joint ventures and direct R&D orders to either customers or suppliers were seen as the least important modes of vertical cooperation. ? The occurrence and importance of cooperative agreements between innovating firms, users and input suppliers vary across industries. ? Results of multivariate statistical analysis (correlation, principal components and cluster analysis) suggested that the various modes of R&D cooperation between innovating firms on one hand and customers and suppliers on the other could be reduced to two subgroups: the first one includes formal modes of cooperation, the second one includes only informal exchange of technical knowledge. On this basis patterns of cooperative agreements could be established for firms operating in different industries and for firms using different product and process technologies. --

Channels of R&D Spillovers: An Empirical Investigation*

R&D spillovers are, potentially, a major source of endogenous growth in various recent "new growthJ theory" models. The purpose of this paper is to investigate empirically the effectiveness of various channels of R&D spillovers. The analysis is based on a survey conducted among 358 Swiss R&D executives representing 127 different lines of business, mainly in the manufacturing sector. The results can be summarized as follows: 1. Undertaking independent R&D was perceived by the R&D executives questioned as the most effective channel of R&D spillovers at the intra-industry level. This was followed by reverse engineering for product innovations and the utilization of publications and information from technical meetings for process innovations. 2. Learning methods that rely on interpersonal communication were judged as moderately effective in the following order of importance: 1. publications and technical meetings, 2. conversations with employees from innovating firms, and 3. hiring away employees from innovating firms. Especially the last method is not valued as effective in the Swiss context. 3. Learning methods related to the patent system - licensing technology and patent disclosures in the patent office were seen as moderately effective or not effective at all 4. The effectiveness of the various channels of R&D spillovers varies from one industry to another. 5. Finally results of the methods of multivariate statistical analysis (correlation, principal components and cluster analysis) suggested that the various channels of R&D spillovers could be reduced to subgroups, so that patterns of learning of competitive technology could be establishedKnowledge spillovers, technological opportunities, technical knowledge, firm learning, appropriability, Swiss firms

Introduction and Diffusion of Electronic Commerce – What is Switzerland’s position in an international comparison? Results of an empirical study

What is Switzerland’s position today with regard to the acceptance, diffusion and usage of new work forms and business methods in the economy and society? One of the most extensive international surveys of population and businesses done thus far gives well founded answers to these questions: Last year, distinguished research institutes from 10 different countries of the European Union (Denmark, Germany, France, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom) and Switzerland carried out the research project ECATT99 Electronic Commerce and Telework Trends. With it they produced a study of the adoption and diffusion of new electronic business methods and work forms in the information society. Its approach makes the study unique within the framework of the European ESPRIT programme. In the whole of Europe (including Switzerland) around 8,000 private individuals and around 4,300 decision makers in private and public businesses were interviewed about knowledge, acceptance, current and planned usage of Electronic Commerce and telework. In addition, around 100 detailed case studies were carried out. For the future, regular biennial repeat studies are planned. Switzerland is taking part in this international comparison for the first time. The results of this report are primarily based on 400 interviews in the Swiss population and 200 interviews with owners or responsible senior staff in businesses of all sectors of German, French and Italian Switzerland. This report is limited to the project section on Electronic Commerce; a separate report is being prepared for the section on telework.Electronic commerce; E-commerce; Electronic Business; Information and Communication Technologies (ICT); Economics of Internet; Firms; Diffusion of technology; Adoption of technolgy; Swiss firms; Switzerland

The Formation of New Firms – An Empirical Analysis from Switzerland

Because of its importance to a dynamic development of the economy, the formation of new firms has been viewed with greater interest from policy makers at the national, regional and local levels and from representatives of private business associations, formal and informal networks. According to statements of the Swiss Federal Office for Vocational Education and Technology (BBT, Bern), there are more than 200 initiatives that aim at encouraging the formation of new firms in Switzerland. However, an accompanying scientific study of these initiatives is lacking. Serious knowledge gaps exist. The present research project attempts to make a contribution, in a systematic way, to fill in some of these gaps. It is based on a study of 20 case studies and of a large survey conducted in 1999 emong 745 newly founded firms in Switzerland. Initial results are presented concerning the fol-lowing areas: (1) Portrait of firm founders. (2) Success indicators of firm for-mation. (3) Factors affecting success of firm formation. (4) Relationships be-tween success and success factors. (5) Future prospects. Finally policy recommendations are drawn from our findings.Formation of new firms; new enterprises; small firms; small-to-medium-sized en-terprises; self-employed; start-ups; firm foundations; promoting start-ups; firm promotion; private sector promotion; Switzerland

State of Corporate Governance in Arab Countries: An Overview

The purpose of this paper is to assess the state of corporate governance as a major factor affecting the growth performance of the private sector in MENA countries. For this purpose both country-specific assessments, carried out by World Bank-IMF teams (so-called ROSC’s assessments) and focus-group discussions that took place in four regional conferences have been synthesized. Strengths and weaknesses of corporate governance in selected Arab countries have been highlighted. One major key finding is that the legal and regulatory frameworks of the assessed Arab countries are largely compliant with the OECD Principles of corporate governance. However, practices are not. The difficulty of the assessments is to reflect properly the discrepancies between the letter of the law and compliance. It should be emphasized that the World Bank-IMF assessments focus on listed companies. No-listed firms, especially SME, family-owned firms and State-owned enterprises that make up to 98% of all firms, are not subject to assessments. Another key finding that emerged from our reviewing of the regional conferences on corporate governance is that corporate governance issues have not been ignored in public debates in the MENA region. Practitioners from capital markets, banks, public and private sector representatives and other civil society groups have accepted the need to address corporate governance reforms as one of the crucial topics affecting the economic growth and development of firms, industries and whole economies in their region. Several meetings and conferences at the national and regional level have taken place. Appropriate and up-to-date recommendations regarding corporate governance reform in the MENA region have been adopted in those events. It is now up to the decision makers at all levels to implement those recommendationsCorporate Governance; Governance; state and business; business regulations; corporate finance; economic development; Arab countries; Middle East and North Africa