Enterprise profiles in deprived areas: Are they distinctive?

This paper examines the extent to which segmenting business activity on the basis of the relative deprivation of a given area provides additional understanding (in terms of analysis and policy) that is not obtained by alternative divisions, e.g., by sector, size, etc. The paper is primarily motivated by the explicit inclusion of a deprived area dimension to many UK small business/enterprise policies introduced since 1997. We use two datasets drawn from the customer records of Barclays Bank PLC to obtain an initial analysis of the business stocks and dynamics in deprived and non-deprived areas of England. The data indicate that the deprived areas of England vary systematically from the wider economy in terms of several business stock characteristics and associated dynamics. These differences include a lower proportion of business service firms, lower female involvement in the owner-manager base and a poorer risk profile. The analysis supports the view that there are likely to be benefits from the tailoring of small business/ enterprise policies to sub-national levels

Decision-making for UBC High Performance Buildings: Multi-criteria Analysis for Integrated Life Cycle Models

The current paradigm of building design is evolving rapidly and building developers are beginning to dopt sustainable building practices across Canada. Attaining a sustainable built environment is challenged by the complexity of decision-making and stakeholders need to examine a large number of sustainability metrics to support a 'good decision'. Each sustainable building development has a design path unique to the values of the building stakeholders.This project outlines a framework that assists decision-makers in achieving a building design that is closely aligned to their values and requirements. This paper outlines a decision-support system that brings together a broad set of sustainability metrcs, both quantitative and qualitative, into a multi-criteria decision analysis tool where decision-makers can contrast and compare the simulated performance of competing building dsigns. The performance modeling tools include environmental life cycle analysis (Athena EIE), financial modeling by life cycle costing (UBC ID), energy modeling (eQuest). Benchmark information, required for informing decision-makers of baseline conditions, is derived from the UBC_LCA database, UBCPT, and UBC Operations data. Social benchmarks are determined from the UBC Post occupancy protocol under development at UBC. These metrics and benchmarks are synthesized and integrated into the multi-critera decision analysis framework as optional attributes from which decision- makers can select as decision criteria. set of sustainability indicators are developed from metrics specified by ISO 21912-1, LBL, ASHRAE andUBCs own criteria developed as part of the UBC Buchanan and CIRS projects. Finally, the paper discusses how decision-makers can express their preference for each critria so that their expertise and values are accurately reflected when analyzing the criteria performance results. Methods to check for 'future-proofing' are also discussed in terms of checking the life cycle models for resilience to future change

Environmental protection requirements for scout/shuttle auxiliary stages

The requirements for enabling the Scout upper stages to endure the expected temperature, mechanical shock, acoustical and mechanical vibration environments during a specified shuttle mission were determined. The study consisted of: determining a shuttle mission trajectory for a 545 kilogram (1200 pound) Scout payload; compilation of shuttle environmental conditions; determining of Scout upper stages environments in shuttle missions; compilation of Scout upper stages environmental qualification criteria and comparison to shuttle mission expected environments; and recommendations for enabling Scout upper stages to endure the exptected shuttle mission environments

Death is not a success: reflections on business exit

This article is a critical evaluation of claims that business exits should not be seen as failures, on the grounds that may constitute voluntary liquidation, or because they are learning opportunities. This can be seen as further evidence of bias affecting entrepreneurship research, where failures are repackaged as successes. This article reiterates that the majority of business exits are unsuccessful. Drawing on ideas from the organisational life course, it is suggested that business ‘death’ is a suitable term for describing business closure. Even cases of voluntary ‘harvest liquidation’ such as retirement can be meaningfully described as business deaths

PILOT: design and capabilities

The proposed design for PILOT is a general-purpose, wide-field 1 degree 2.4m, f/10 Ritchey-Chretien telescope, with fast tip-tilt guiding, for use 0.5-25 microns. The design allows both wide-field and diffraction-limited use at these wavelengths. The expected overall image quality, including median seeing, is 0.28-0.3" FWHM from 0.8-2.4 microns. Point source sensitivities are estimated.Comment: 4 pages, Proceedings of 2nd ARENA conference 'The Astrophysical Science Cases at Dome C', Potsdam, 17-21 September 200

Overcoming the boundary layer turbulence at Dome C: ground-layer adaptive optics versus tower

The unique atmospheric conditions present at sites such as Dome C on the Antarctic plateau are very favorable for high spatial resolution astronomy. At Dome C, the majority of the optical turbulence is confined to a 30 to 40 m thick stable boundary layer that results from the strong temperature inversion created by the heat exchange between the air and the ice-covered ground. To fully realize the potential of the exceptionally calm free atmosphere, this boundary layer must be overcome. In this article we compare the performance of two methods proposed to beat the boundary layer: mounting a telescope on a tower that physically puts it above the turbulent layer, and installing a telescope at ground level with a ground-layer adaptive optics system. A case is also made to combine these two methods to further improve the image quality

Far-infrared rotational emission by carbon monoxide

Accurate theoretical collisional excitation rates are used to determine the emissivities of CO rotational lines 10 to the 4th power/cu cm n(H2), 100 K T 2000 K, and J 50. An approximate analytic expression for the emissitivities which is valid over most of this region is obtained. Population inversions in the lower rotational levels occur for densities n(H2) approximately 10 (to the 3rd to 5th power)/cu cm and temperatures T approximately 50 K. Interstellar shocks observed edge on are a potential source of millimeter wave CO maser emission. The CO rotational cooling function suggested by Hollenbach and McKee (1979) is verified, and accurate numerical values given. Application of these results to other linear molecules should be straightforward