THE INFLUENCE OF THE COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT ON THE COMPANIES COMPETITIVENESS

In a market economy, competition is the engine which makes the entire system of connections between the economic operators work, the main element of the market mechanism which leads to the development of the economic life. The competition represents a tough fight, without considerations, where the economic interests of each participant on the market come first. In this context, this paper attempts to carry out an analysis of the competitive environment and especially of the influence exerted by it on the competitiveness of the companies. Otherwise, competitiveness can be regarded as the main goal that is to earn higher profits or a better position on the market. This work was supported by CNCSIS-UEFISCSU, project number PNII-IDEI 826/19.01.2009competition, competitive environment, competitiveness, competitive forces, strategies

A STUDY ON THE RETURN ON EQUITY FOR THE ROMANIAN INDUSTRIAL COMPANIES

In this paper, a study on a sample of 73 Romanian companies operating in industries was conducted. The survey covered the year 2008 and was based on data extracted from annual financial statements of the companies from the sample. Starting from a number of representative papers in the field, there were identified the influence factors of the return on equity and the quantifiable ones were hold, respectively the operating profit margin, the asset turnover and the financial leverage. These financial rates, together with the return on equity, have been determined for the entire population of enterprises from the sample. Subsequently was tested the statistical correlation between the level of influence factors and the return on equity. The results obtained partially confirmed the hypotheses set when starting the research, but have also denied some of them.return on equity, net profit, equity, operating profit margin, asset turnover,financial leverage

Circumcision as a kinship ritual in ancient Israel

This dissertation argues that circumcision functions as a kinship ritual in the non-Priestly, narrative texts of the Hebrew Bible. Secondarily, by showing the continuity between non-Priestly and Priestly conceptualizations of circumcision, this study challenges the prevailing categorization of circumcision as a ritual that only acquired significance during the exilic and postexilic periods. Chapter 1 reviews the history of modern biblical scholarship on circumcision in the Hebrew Bible and explains the basis of the scholarly separation between non-Priestly and Priestly views of circumcision. Additionally, this chapter also discusses and evaluates various views of the function of circumcision in the Hebrew Bible. Chapter 2 presents the critical theoretical basis for the primary claim of this dissertation: that circumcision functions as a kinship ritual in ancient Israel. The chapter introduces Nancy Jay’s theory of the gendered nature of blood sacrifice and shows how it can be productively applied to the study of circumcision in the Hebrew Bible. The chapter argues for the kinship-oriented nature of both circumcision and blood sacrifice, taking into account not only biblical evidence but relevant anthropological data as well. Chapters 3–5 are a literary, historical-critical analysis of three non-Priestly, narrative passages regarding circumcision in the Hebrew Bible (Gen 34; Exod 4:24–26; Josh 5:2–9). Each chapter discusses previous scholarship concerning the function of circumcision in the passage before showing how circumcision is best explained as a kinship ritual in each passage. Chapter 6 focuses on three Priestly texts concerning circumcision (Gen 17; Exod 12:43–49; Lev 12:3) and shows how they too present circumcision as a kinship ritual. In doing so, the chapter suggests that there is more continuity between non-Priestly and Priestly presentations of circumcision than typically acknowledged. Chapter 7 concludes the dissertation, summarizes its main claims and arguments, and suggests a couple of directions for future research.Middle Eastern Studie

The impact of engineered design constraints upon bacteriophage T7 evolution

Since the establishment of molecular biology until the present, a shift has taken place by which engineering of biology has increased in its scope, power, and influence. Synthetic biology is the latest term that advances the overall goal of engineering control of biological systems. Enabled by the recent progress in the ability to read and write nucleic acids, synthetic biology stands out in its desire for standardization of parts, processes, assays, and even organisms. This standardization has led to multiple successful outcomes which justify its utility. However, this standardization via synthetic biology is imbued with an implicit hubris: it may be that certain aspects of biological phenomena are too complex to lend themselves to systemization. Engineering biology, unlike other engineering disciplines, is not obviously governed by a simple series of equations but, rather, united by one universal theme: evolution happens. Because of this, much work has been done in order to study not just how evolution works and but also into controlling, accelerating, and biasing it in a laboratory setting. The former work can be generally classified as “evolutionary biology” and the latter called “directed evolution”. In this dissertation, work is presented which blurs the line between evolutionary biology and directed evolution yielding unanticipated outcomes and new methods of biological control. Three projects are presented in which evolution of bacteriophage T7 is studied in response to rationally engineered design constraints. In the first, the predictability of bacteriophage T7 promoter evolution in response to a novel RNA polymerase is determined. In the second, the evolution of the entirety of the transcriptional apparatus of bacteriophage T7 is studied in the context of an evolutionarily adapted bacteriophage population. Finally, the construction, exploration, and optimization of a designed bacteriophage T7 life-cycling system reliant on proteases are described. Together, this work provides evidence that although the ability to rationally design biology is important, various ways to rationally control and direct evolution offer a complementary strategy to the systematization of synthetic biology.Cellular and Molecular Biolog

Effect of the Negative Ion Band on Athletic Performance

Negative Ion bands have been suggested to increase various areas of athletic performance. At this time, the authors are not aware of any studies on these bands. Purpose: To determine if a True Power Energy Band (True Power LLC, Melrose, MA) had an effect on various measures of performance. Methods: Forty-one subjects (age = 29.3±7.1 yrs, ht = 171.5±9.7 cm, wt = 85.4±23.2 kg) had their height and weight measured and were then randomized to wear the True Power band (TB) or a silver bracelet placebo band (PB) (Hobby Lobby). After 5 days, subjects were assessed on reaction time using a color response test and a response test in which the subject clicked a highlighted dot as it appeared in a 5x5 table (www.intelligencetest.com/reflex/index). The subjects then performed a standard balance test (stork test) without shoes, two flexibility tests (V-sit-and-reach & trunk rotation), and two strength tests (hand grip using a dynamometer & push-ups to exhaustion). The tests were conducted in this order with as much rest between trials as needed. One week later, this same procedure was followed but with the opposing band. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to determine if differences exist between the bands, with Alpha set at .05. Results: There were no significant differences in the tests of color (TB = 0.43±0.14, PB = 0.41±0.11 sec), dots (TB = 16.9±3.0, PB = 17.0±2.6 score), stork (TB = 4.4±3.4, PB = 4.7±4.1 sec), V-sit-and-reach (TB = 15.2±16.8, PB = 15.5±17.3 cm), trunk rotation (TB = 35.8±15.0, PB = 37.3±14.0 cm), hand grip (TB = 42.4±12.1, PB = 42.8±11.0 kg), and push-ups (TB = 23.4±10.5, PB = 25.8±11.7 total), p \u3e .05 for all tests. Conclusion: There seems to be no effect of Negative Ion bands on tests of reaction time, balance, flexibility, or muscular strength. The claims of performance in these types of bands have yet to be validated

Le maintien du pouvoir chez la personne âgée hébergée souffrant de déficits cognitifs

Cet article théorique interpelle à la fois la recherche et l’intervention, à l’égard du mieux-être des personnes âgées hébergées présentant des troubles cognitifs associés à des démences dégénératives. Appuyé par la perspective de l’interactionnisme symbolique, il met l’accent sur les interactions entre le personnel soignant (infirmière, infirmière auxiliaire, préposée, ergothérapeute, personnel de réadaptation et des loisirs, travailleuse sociale, etc.) et les proches aidants, dans un objectif de maintien du pouvoir pour et par la personne âgée. Sous l’angle de l’approche centrée sur la personne, qui affirme l’importance de dépasser l’âgisme et l’impuissance quant à la démence, il aborde deux approches : l’approche prothétique élargie et l’approche biographique qui permettent de soutenir l’identité et l’affirmation de soi de la personne âgée hébergée souffrant de déficits cognitifs.This theoretical article presents some thoughts on research and intervention’s frameworks for the well-being of nursing homes’ residents with cognitive deficits associated with dementia. Based on a symbolic interactionism perspective, it examines the relations between the staff (nurses, social worker, rehabilitation worker, homecare employee) and family caregivers, to maintain identity for, by and behalf of the elderly. Adopting a critical perspective on the person-centered care approach for an clearer understanding of the person faced with dementia, the authors call for an integrating framework based on two approaches: a bibliographic approach and the holistic relational prothetic approach, allowing the recognition and support of a positive identity in elders with dementia for critical actions promoting their well-being in nursing homes

Feeding poultry litter to beef cattle (2005)

Beef cattle have the ability to digest low-cost feedstuffs that are not usable by other livestock species. One such feedstuff is poultry litter, which provides opportunities or both the poultry producer and the beef cattle producer.New 2/01/5M; Revised 10/0

About the initial mass function and HeII emission in young starbursts

We demonstrate that it is crucial to account for the evolution of the starburst population in order to derive reliable numbers of O stars from integrated spectra for burst ages t > 2 - 3 Myr. In these cases the method of Vacca & Conti (1992) and Vacca (1994) systematically underestimates the number of O stars. Therefore the current WR/O number ratios in Wolf-Rayet (WR) galaxies are overestimated. This questions recent claims about flat IMF slopes (alpha ~ 1-2) in these objects. If the evolution of the burst is properly treated we find that the observations are indeed compatible with a Salpeter IMF, in agreement with earlier studies. Including recent predictions from non-LTE, line blanketed model atmospheres which account for stellar winds, we synthesize the nebular and WR HeII 4686 emission in young starbursts. For metallicities 1/5 <= Z/Z_sun <= 1 we predict a strong nebular HeII emission due to a significant fraction of WC stars in early WR phases of the burst. For other metallicities broad WR emission will always dominate the HeII emission. Our predictions of the nebular HeII intensity agree well with the observations in WR galaxies and an important fraction of the giant HII regions where nebular HeII is detected. We propose further observational tests of our result.Comment: ApJ Letters, accepted. 8 pages LaTeX including 3 PostScript figures, uses AASTeX and psfig macros. PostScript file also available at ftp://ftp.stsci.edu/outside-access/out.going/schaerer/imf.p